MAYILADUTHURAI: Days of longing and hope for G Sankar’s family were washed away with a phone call on Thursday morning informing them of his death. Sankar (39), of Keela Moovarkarai near Sirkazhi in Mayiladuthurai district, was critically injured after he was allegedly shot by “pirates” while fishing in Saudi Arabian waters on the night of August 10. He died at a hospital in Saudi Arabia, where he had been undergoing treatment since the incident.
His daughter, S Manisa, a third-year college student, never imagined that the “routine call before every trip” she had with her father would be their last. “When he was lying on the hospital bed, I saw his face on the video call, but he never spoke. The last conversation on the phone call with him felt like any other normal call I would have with him before his boat trips,” Manisa said, with tears welling up in her eyes.
Sankar’s death came days after P Maveeran (40), of Thoduvai Tsunami Nagar in the district, who was on the same boat, was killed in the shooting on the spot.
Sankar was among four fishermen from Mayiladuthurai and Cuddalore districts who had been staying in Saudi Arabia for fishing work. The other two, apart from Maveeran, are S Balraj of Thirumullaivasal from Mayiladuthurai and Manikandan from Cuddalore.
Sources said the four were fishing at sea on the night of August 10 when a group of “pirates” allegedly approached their boat and tried to rob them. A confrontation reportedly broke out between the two groups, following which the alleged pirates opened fire on them. Maveeran sustained serious bullet injuries and died on the spot, while Sankar was critically injured and admitted to a hospital in Saudi Arabia.
M Saravanan, a close relative of Sankar, said the family was informed on Wednesday that Sankar was stable and would recover soon. “However, to our shock, we were told the next morning that he had died,” he lamented.
Sankar’s wife, S Amudha, their son and daughter had been hoping for his return home after the incident. On Monday, his relatives along with the villagers petitioned the district collector seeking advanced treatment for Sankar, his early return to India and financial aid for the family. However, their hope of bringing him home alive has now given way to a single wish – to bring his body back and give him a proper funeral in his native place.
Official sources said that Sankar died in the early hours of Thursday.
Sankar’s death has deepened grief among fishermen in Mayiladuthurai district, with the families, relatives and fishing community urging the union and state governments to take immediate steps to bring the two bodies back home.
“Indian fishermen are facing tragedies not only in our waters while getting tangled with India-Sri Lanka cross-border robberies and shootings but also in places where they go to earn a living far from home,” said R M P Rajendra Nattar of the Indian National Fishermen Union.
On Wednesday, following a walkout from the Assembly, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said the Assembly Speaker had denied his party MLAs an opportunity to raise a call-attention motion on Maveeran’s death.
He said several MLAs, including O S Manian and Agri Krishnamurthy, had submitted the motion under Rule 55 five days ago, seeking government intervention to bring back the fisherman’s body and to provide treatment and support to three others injured in the attack.
TN making efforts to bring body back: Min
Earlier, speaking in the Assembly on Thursday, PWD Minister Aadhav Arjuna said Maveeran had been shot dead by Iranian pirates and that another fisherman (Sankar) was undergoing treatment in a hospital. He said the return of Maveeran’s body to TN was delayed because of an ongoing probe into the incident and that consular efforts were being taken to bring the body back.
He assured the House that the Secretary of TN Fisheries Department was coordinating with the MEA to expedite the process of bringing back Maveeran’s body and ensure the repatriation of the other TN fishermen. When the opposition sought compensation for the families of the victims, Aadhav replied that the CM will make an announcement soon in this regard.
