Fifteen fishermen from Tamil Nadu, belonging to Tirunelveli, Kanniyakumari and Thoothukudi districts, who were working in a private company in Dubai, were arrested by the Iranian Navy on October 24. Later, they were kept in Kish island. Recently, their Dubai employer established contact with them through a middleman and took steps to bring them back to Dubai. However, the fishermen did not wish to go back to Dubai and informed the middleman about it. 

Speaking to DT Next, Justin Antony, who had received video and voice messages from the fishermen in Iran, said the employer was taking steps to take them to Dubai and if they go back there, they will be made to indulge in illegal fishing activities. 

However, as the fishermen were firm that they won’t return to Dubai, the employer had informed them that if they need to go back to India, they should pay Rs 70 lakh to him. Fishermen cannot pay such a huge amount and so the Indian government should take steps to free them and to bring them back, said Justin Antony. The fishermen had earlier suffered a lot without proper food and drinking water. Subsequently, two fishermen fell ill because of shortage of medicine. After informing the Indian Embassy in Iran, medicines were supplied to them. 

However one of the fishermen, Craslin from Thoothukudi, who did not get well despite the medicines, was sent to India for treatment. In the meantime, the release orders for the remaining 14 fishermen were obtained. Meanwhile, visa for seven of the 14 fishermen expired. Also, one of the fishermen did not have a passport and so if they were taken back to Dubai, they will be arrested. Their families in Tamil Nadu and fishermen associations had demanded that the Centre intervene to bring them back.