NAGERCOIL: As many as 21 fishermen from Kanniyakumari, Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli are stranded without salary, food and accommodation, and with their boats, passports, and other documents seized by their employer, despite the fishermen venturing into the sea for their employers in Iran, said Fr Churchill,
Secretary, South Asian Fishermen Federation (SAFF), on Tuesday.
The families submitted a petition at the collectorate, on Tuesday, seeking official intervention to ensure a safe return to India and recovery of their passports.
The 21 fishermen include eight fishermen from Puthenthurai, Kadiyapattinam, Kesavanputhenthurai, and Rajakkamangalamthurai in Kanniyakumari District, seven from Tirunelveli and six from Thoothukudi.
Fr Churchill said, “The 21 fishermen from the three districts have been going for fishing in their boats for a private employer in Iran for the past six months.
The fishermen from Kanniyakumari are Kumar, Arockyaraj, Sahaya Michael, Joseph, Susai, Francis, Yesudhasan, and Xavier. Casper, Sandhiya Vijay, Yesu Ignicious, Antony Michael, Antony Santhiyagu Rayappan, Mariya Joseph Kennedy and Mark are from Perumanal and Kootapanai in Tirunelveli. The fishermen from Veerapandiyapattanam and Periyathaazhai in Thoothukudi are Benitto, Xavier, Ajai Fernandas, Victor, Prashant, and Agiltan.
Sahayaregila (42), wife of Kumar from Puthenthurai said, “As there was no income from fishing in Kanniyakumari, we sent him to Iran to work. For six months, he was not given salary for fishing and the family also did not have any income. We had to take loans from the neighbours to be able to take care of our two children.”
This is the same with the other fishermen and the families have asked for support from the government. The fishermen do not have their passport, as their employers seized it when they asked for their salary.