A pall of gloom descended on Kottaipattinam, a remote coastal hamlet, as the body of Rajkiran, 30, was on Saturday brought home from Sri Lanka. He drowned in the sea after a Sri Lankan Naval vessel intercepted and collided with the boat he was on while fishing.
When a mechanised boat with the coffin with Rajkiran’s remains reached the shore, a large number of fisherfolk rushed to the boat to have a glimpse of him.
Fisherfolk, mainly women, came in large numbers to pay homage. Rasu, father of Rajkiran, Aravalli, his mother and Brinda, 25, his wife, were inconsolable on seeing the body. Ms. Brinda got married to him only 40 days ago.
A section of fishers of Kottaipattinam, who have been on an indefinite strike since Wednesday following Rajkiran’s death and the detention of two fishers by the Sri Lankan Navy on Monday, raised slogans against the island nation’s Navy. They held the Sri Lankan Navy responsible for the fisher’s death, and alleged that the boat on which Rajkiran and two others had gone for fishing was sunk after being intentionally hit by the Sri Lankan Navy’s vessel.
“No one should undergo the suffering and pain that we are undergoing now. What wrong has my son done? He ventured into the sea only in search of livelihood,” Mr. Rasu said.
A large number of mourners paid homage to Rajkiran. Minister for Law S. Regupathy, Collector Kavitha Ramu, Fisheries Department officials and fishermen leaders were among those who were present.
Consoling Mr. Rasu and his family, Mr. Regupathy handed over a cheque for ₹10 lakh as compensation on behalf of the State government. The Minister also told them that Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had taken steps to secure the release of the two fishermen from Sri Lanka.
Rajkiran’s body was later carried in an ambulance and taken to a burial ground, where the last rites were performed.
Earlier, the Sri Lankan Navy handed over Rajkiran’s body to the Indian Coast Guard and the transfer took place near the IMBL. The coffin was later shifted to a local fishing boat, closer to home, to be brought ashore.
Sri Lankan fishers held
Two Sri Lankan fishermen were arrested on Friday for foraying into Indian waters, off the Vedaranyam coast, in Nagapattinam district.
On noticing a Sri Lankan fibre boat off the Vedaranyam coast, a patrolling vessel of the Indian Navy rushed to the spot and inquired about them. It was found that Nimaladoss, 24, and Kajiban, 23, had ventured into the sea from Valvettithurai in Sri Lanka and crossed into the Indian waters. They were then handed over to Coastal Security Group police in Vedaranyam, who produced them at a court in Chennai. The fishermen were later remanded in judicial custody up to November 1.