18 Uttara Kannada fishermen released from confinement in Iran

Team Udayavani, Jan 9, 2019, 7:58 AM IST

Karwar: The Iranian Government has released 18 fishermen from Uttara Kannada district, who were under the custody of the coast guard of Iran since the last seven month on Tuesday January 8. The fishermen were arrested on the charges of crossing international borders without authorisation and entering into Iranian territory.

The release of the fishermen has brought much required relief to the families of these fishermen, who were worried about their future.

The incident

The freed fishermen belonging to Bhatkal, Kumta, Murdeshwar, Honnavar and Ankola, were working for a fishing boat owned by Mervan from Dubai. On July 27 last year, their boat accidentally ventured into Iranian border. Hence the Iranian security staff from near Kish Island in Iran arrested the fishermen for trespassing international borders. The security personnel then kept the fishermen in a prison for three days and later confined them in a boat.

The incarcerated fishermen later sent a video requesting help from the department of external affairs in India to get them released. the video also went viral on social media and reached the concerned department. The families of the victims who came to know of the situation of their breadwinners took up the matter with the minster for external affairs through the district administration.

The deputy commissioner of Uttara Kannada, S S Nakul has confirmed that the fishermen have been released from their confinement.