KANNIYAKUMARI: The members of International Fisherman Development Trust, a Kanniyakumari-based association, on Saturday, urged the Tamil Nadu government to take steps to release seven TN fishermen, including two from Chinnathurai in Kanniyakumari, who were detained by the Kavaratti fisheries department on May 6.
Founder-president of the trust, P Justin Antony, in a letter sent to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Fisheries Minister and others, noted that seven Tamil Nadu fishermen - Sesadimai and Siluvayyan from Chinnathurai of Kanniyakumari, Praveenkumar, and Arunkumar from Akkaraipettai of Nagapattinam, Periyasamy from Cuddalore, Thinakaran from Villupuram, and Premkumar from Madurai had ventured into the sea for fishing from Thengapattanam fishing harbour on April 16 on a mechanised fishing boat Grace.
"While they were fishing on May 6, the boat consisting of seven men was detained by the Kavaratti fisheries officials for fishing in Lakshadweep waters. The fishermen, in their helplessness, contacted me, following which I requested the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Fisheries Minister, and Kanniyakumari district collector to intervene and take efforts for the release of the boat and the seven fishermen," he added.
A letter from the Kavaratti fisheries department stated that the boat violated the rules by entering the territorial waters of Lakshadweep and carrying out fishing activities near Suhali without getting permission from the adjudicating officer.