PM Modi urged to take steps for release of 24 Indian fishermen detained in Qatar

MADURAI: Kin of 24 Indian fishermen detained by Qatari enforcement agencies in March on charges of entering their territorial waters have made an appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and external affairs minister S Jaishankar to take steps for their speedy release and to bring them back to India safely.
International Fishermen Development Trust president P Justin Antony who took the issue to the notice of the government said that the fishermen include 20 from Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu and four from Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts in Kerala. They worked as fishermen in Iran in two boats owned by Hassan, an Iranian.
“The 24 Indian fishermen along with four Iranian fishermen ventured for fishing in two boats from Iran on March 22. The first boat – Asin -- had 10 Indians and two Iranian nationals while the other boat – Yakub -- had 14 Indians and two Iranian nationals,” Justin Antony told TOI.
On March 25, they were detained in Qatar on charges of entering Qatari waters. They were inquired at Ras Laffan police station and imprisoned. The ten Indians on board Asin were produced before a Qatar court on April 19, and a fine of 50,000 Qatar riyal (Rs 10 lakh) was slapped on the boat.
Justin Antony said the court had ordered all the men to be imprisoned till their owner paid the fine and that the boat could be released after the fish they had caught and their fishing gear were seized by Qatari authorities. The 14 fishermen on Yakub are to be produced before the court on June 16.
The men fear that such heavy fines will be slapped on them too. They have reached out to their families in India through their kin and friends working as fishermen in Qatar and Iran for help. “It is learnt that their employer is reluctant to pay the fine. Such a hefty fine will be impossible for the fishermen to bear,” the activist said.
They made an appeal to the PM, external affairs minister and chief ministers of Tamil Nadu and Kerala to rescue the men with the help of the Indian embassy in Qatar.
The six Tamil Nadu fishermen on board Asin are its captain L Justin, 36, and S Lawrence, 40, of Thoothoor, J Sahaya Ajin Dinesh, 22, P Prabhu, 36, and Antony Adimai, 36, of Enayam, and M Rajan Selastin, 42, Kodimunai. The Kerala fishermen on the boat are C Sebastian, 20, and S Michael, 33, of Thiruvananthapuram and Cletus Lopes, 42, and S Anil Joseph, 42, of Kollam.
The 14 fishermen on Yakub are its captain L Rajini, 42, of Vilavancode, E Sahaya Anish, 32, and A Antony, 33, of Midalam, C Danic Gimson, 26, of Mel Midalam, L Bergin, 39, of Mulloorthurai, B Jagan, 44, of Kodimunai, J Jackson Bruce, 27, of Chinnathurai, B Bedlin, 27, of Karungal, S Thathaeus, 40, of Ramanthurai, A Sahaya Ashwin Raj, S Sahaya Raj, 35, and S Sahaya Raj, 38, of Enayam and J Ajay, 23, and J Arul Sabijan, 25, of Kurumpanai.