Jaya seeks PM’s intervention for release of Indian fishermen

Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Friday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention in ensuring the release of five “innocent” Indian fishermen arrested by Iran for allegedly straying into its waters.

Jayalalithaa told Modi that the five fishermen from Kanyakumari district had been contracted by a Saudi individual and that they were engaged in fishing in Saudi Arabia. These five had ventured for fishing from Qatif fishing base of Saudi Arabia on April 23, and during the course of their fishing operations “they inadvertently strayed into Iranian waters and were arrested and detained by the Iranian Coast Guard,” she told Modi in a letter.

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The five Indian fishermen had been lodged in Central jail, Dehloran, Iran, she said. “I bring this matter to your notice seeking your immediate and personal intervention to instruct the Embassy of India in Tehran and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to take effective legal steps to secure the immediate release of these poor innocent fishermen from Tamil Nadu,” she said.