As many as 25 fishermen hailing from Kanniyakumari district, who had ventured into the sea in five boats, were arrested on March 8 and March 12 by the Iranian Navy, according to the International Fishermen Development Trust (INFIDET), an NGO.
An INFIDET press release issued on Sunday said that the fishermen had ventured into the sea from Bahrain for their sponsors.
Twenty-one fishermen who ventured into the sea from Bahrain in four boats were detained on March 8, the release said.
Another group of four fishermen were detained on March 12 by the Iranian Navy. Since then, the fishermen have been kept in Kish Island under the surveillance of the port authorities.
INFIDET has alleged that the fishermen were detained well before they entered into Iranian waters.
Passports seized
Iranian officials allegedly seized the passports of the detained fishermen and also made them sign a few documents in the local language.
INFIDET further alleged that the fishermen were not provided food and drinking water by the Iranian authorities.
The sponsor was yet to visit the detained fishermen, INFIDET said.
