Thiruvananthapuram/Kollam: The Iranian authorities have detained 11 Indian fishermen, including seven Keralites, for illegally venturing into its territorial waters. All the Keralites hail from the coastal regions of Anchuthengu, near Chirayinkeezhu in Thiruvananthapuram, and Paravoor in Kollam district.
The boat was seized by the Iranian Police on June 18.
The detainees are Saju George (54), a resident of Nediyavilakam House, Mamballi, Anchuthengu; Arogyaraj (43) of Oluvilakam House, Mamballi, Anchuthengu; Dennison Paulose (48) of Nediyavilakath, Mamballi, Anchuthengu; Stanley Washington (44) of Padinjattil, Kulangara, Kayikkara, Anchuthengu; L Dixon (46) of Puthumanalpurayidathil, Mamballi, Anchuthengu; Shahul Hameed (48) of Kollakantiyakam House, Kongal, Paravoor, Kollam; and Shamseer (47) of Shahida Manzil, Puthumala, Paravoor.
Besides them, three fishermen from Tamil Nadu and the boat owner from the Persian Gulf, were held.
The Indian fishers had reached Ajman in the United Arab Emirates on a fishing visa. They headed out to sea along with the boat owner and unknowingly crossed the maritime boundary while fishing in deep sea. Though certain persons in Ajman had informed the relatives of their arrest, the same could not be confirmed earlier.
Saju George, who was among the detainees, rung up his household and said they were in Iranian jails. He added that their release could be obtained only through intervention at the government level. The phone then got disconnected immediately, a source close to the development said.
All the detainees hail from economically backward fisher families.
