VISAKHAPATNAM: Families of eight fishermen from Vizianagaram district, who were detained by Bangladesh authorities, are anxiously awaiting their safe return.
The detained fishermen have been identified as Marupilli Chinna Appanna, M Ramesh, Surada Appalakonda, M Praveen, S Ramu, M Chinna, N Ramana and V Seethaiah.
The fishermen were aboard a mechanised fishing vessel (IND-AP-V5-MM-735), owned by Vaddadi Satyanarayana of Relli Veedhi in Visakhapatnam.
The fishermen, who set out from Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour on October 13, were intercepted by the Bangladesh Navy on October 22.
Speaking to TNIE at the Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour on Thursday, Appalakonda’s wife shared her distress. “I want my husband and everyone else on the boat to come back safely. This is the first time that he went fishing in distant waters. My mother-in-law, and I only have him, and I am pregnant with our first child. I request the government to bring all of them back safely,” she said.
The fishermen’s families have appealed to both the State and Central governments to take urgent action.
“We request the authorities to ensure our fishermen return safely. We hope they are not subjected to any harm as they are the main support of our families,” said the family members of the detained fishermen.
Union Minister for Civil Aviation Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, who is currently in Delhi, has been actively monitoring the situation.
He has held discussions with Union Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar, and instructed officials to take all possible measures to ensure the fishermen’s safe return.
Ram Mohan Naidu also confirmed that communication with the Bangladesh Embassy, and the Coast Guard is ongoing, with continuous monitoring of the case.
Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh Government has accelerated its efforts to secure the fishermen’s release.
Bangladesh files chargesheet against AP fishers
Officials are coordinating closely with the Indian High Commission in Dhaka, which has constituted a special legal team to provide assistance and monitor the case. “A chargesheet has been filed against the fishermen in Bangladesh, and the State government has appealed to the Bangladesh authorities for cooperation,” an official release read.
Vizianagaram RDO D Keerthi visited the affected families on Thursday, following instructions from District Collector S Ram Sundar Reddy, to provide reassurance, and collect details for any necessary support. Local representatives, including Vizianagaram MP Kalisetty Appalanaidu and Nellimarla MLA Lokam Naga Madhavi also met the families, offering their support during this difficult period.
Minister for MSME, SERP and NRI Affairs Kondapalli Srinivas has been trying to establish contact with the fishermen via satellite phone to check on their welfare.
Indian fishermen have faced similar detentions in the past. In 2019, 63 fishermen were held by the Bangladesh Marine Police, including eight from Vizianagaram, while in 2018, 23 fishermen from Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, and East Godavari were detained by Pakistan after inadvertently entering their waters.
Many of those held were later released following government intervention.
