THOOTHUKUDI: Two fishermen who went missing on January 1, were secured in Kochi. Earlier, two FIRs were registered in connection with their search.
Sources said, on January 1, the two fishermen identified as X Paulwin (40) of Inigo Nagar and P Rajendran (42) of Karikalam colony of North Beach road, along with one Ratharaj set sail on a fibre boat belonging to Jesuraj of Inigo Nagar. It may be noted that no fishermen went for fishing on January 1, in view of new year celebrations. However, the trio had allegedly smuggled beedi leaves, according to Tharuvaikulam marine police.
While Ratharaj alighted the boat at Kulasekarapattinam, the whereabouts of the two other fishermen was unknown. It was speculated that the two fishermen had drowned after their boat got damaged mid sea, while others believed they were killed.
Based on the complaint of R Delfi, wife of Rajendran, the Tharuvaikulam marine police registered an FIR on January 8, and arrested the boat owner Jesuraj suspecting his role in smuggling goods. The case was later transferred to Thoothukudi South police station, where a man missing case was registered on January 16.
According to reliable sources, Paulwin and Rajendran had encountered a safety risk off 450 nautical miles, near Minicoy islands on January 15, and were rescued by Thoothur fishermen.
After travelling for two days on Thoothur fishermen's boat, the duo had boarded Tharuvaikulam fishermen's mechanised vessel and travelled for nearly 10 days, before being dropped at a coastal hamlet near Kochi fishing harbour, said sources. Their boat was washed ashore at Neer Colombo shores in Sri Lanka.
The Thoothukudi south police, along with the missing fishermen's family members and Trespuram fishermen association leader escorted the two fishermen from Kochi and produced them at Thoothukudi south police station.
A senior police official told TNIE, that the mystery of the two missing fishermen had been cracked. Their role in smuggling beedi leaves had no evidences, but they will be under police watch, he said.