Cong urges govt to secure release of 3 Indian fishermen languishing in Indonesian prisons

The Congress on Thursday urged the Ministry of External Affairs to immediately intervene in securing the release of three Indian fishermen languishing in Indonesian prisons.

All India Fishermen Congress chairman S Armstrong Fernando met with Ministry of External Affairs Joint Secretary Viswas Sapkal and submitted a detailed memorandum explaining the concerns.

Eight fishermen from Tamil Nadu and Kerala had left for fishing from Andaman in a mechanised boat on February 17. On March 7, the Indonesian authorities confiscated the boat and took the fishermen into custody for allegedly crossing over to their side of the maritime border, the memorandum said.

Four out of the eight fishermen were released on April 28. Of the remaining four, Jesin Das died allegedly due to severe torture in custody, it claimed.

Fernando requested the MEA to intervene and secure the release of the remaining three Indian fishermen without any delay.