Body of fisherman buried

The body of fisherman V. Jude (41) of Meenavar Colony here was buried in a graveyard here in the early hours of Saturday.

He was a victim of cyclone 'Ockhi'. Sources said he, along with fellow fishermen of Thoothukudi, went in search of a fishing job in coastal hamlets of Kanyakumari since suspension of mechanised boat fishing in Thoothukudi rendered them jobless for over two months.

Indian Coast Guard personnel retrieved the body off Vizhinjam coast and kept it in a hospital at Thiruvananthapuram on December 1. As the body was badly decomposed, it was beyond recognition for his family members and hence a DNA test was ordered and results confirmed the body was that of Jude.

Cadres of Communist Party of India (Marxist) aided in bringing back the body to Thoothukudi from Thiruvananthapuram hospital.

K.S. Arjunan, district secretary, CPI (M) said Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan offered all help and families of five fishermen from Thoothukudi were accommodated by E.K. Nayanar Charitable Trust in Thiruvanthapuram.

Around 20 fisherfolks from here had still been accommodated by the trust, he said.

Collector N. Venkatesh told The Hindu that Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswamy earlier announced compensation of ₹ 10 lakh to the family of deceased fishermen and it would soon be handed over to the grief stricken family.

Further, he said DNA samples of four more bodies of fishermen, who were caught in the cyclone, were also taken to confirm their identity.

Joint Director of Fisheries R. Amal Xavier said his department officials were still in the hospital in Thiruvananthapuram to help the families of fishermen, who went missing and also in carrying out DNA test formalities.