18 Indian fishermen detained in Iran

• One from Shiroor amongst the detained
• Accused of illegally crossing international border

Byndoor: The Iranian police have arrested 18 Indian fishermen on charges of violating the international border. Of the 18 fishermen, one from Shirur here and 17 from Uttara Kannada district, had gone to Dubai seeking employment and were working there as fishermen when they were arrested and detained by the Iranian government.  It is gathered that the fishermen along with their boat are languishing in Iran since the last two and half months.

Abdul Hussain from Kesarakody, Shirur is one amongst the arrested fishermen. . They were working for a Dubai-based boat owner named Sheikh Merwan. All of them had left India on April 25 and had ventured into the sea for fishing on July 27. They were nabbed the same day by Iranian policemen, for crossing the country’s border.

The arrested fishermen are the only bread earners of their families. Of the confined, Yakub Ismail Shamali, Inayath Kadir Shamali, Kashim Ismail Shaikh and Ibrahim Ahmed Hodekar are from Vannalli in Kumta. Since their arrest, they have not been able to send any money to their families. The fishermen had gone to Dubai with the aim to earn a good income and thereby send their children to English medium schools in Kumta, but now being incarcerated, they alon with their families have become helpless.

Previously, fishermen belonging to Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, who had been detained for the same reason in the past, were later released by the police. Karnataka fishermen are now waiting for their release. According to the available information, one among them is allowed to go out every day for procuring items of daily need.

The fishermen have contacted the officials of the department of foreign affairs, and have requested them to put pressure on Iranian government to release them, inform the families of the stranded fishermen.