Several fishermen community associations staged a protest at Srikakulam Collector’s office on Monday to draw the attention of the government for the release of 27 persons caught by the Pakistan Coast Guard in November 27, 2018.
The fishermen, who used to work in the Gujarat coast, were nabbed by Pakistan for violating maritime norms while fishing in the Arabian Sea. Among those 27 persons, fourteen were from Srikakulam district and the remaining belonged to Vizianagaram and East Godavari district. All of them were jailed in a prision near Karachi and allowed once to write letters to their family members.
Family members are worried about their safety in Pakistan and called for the immediate intervention of both the State and Union governments for their safe release. Srikakualm Fishermen Community Welfare Assocaition leaders Duda Sudhakar, M.Phalguna Raju, Chintapalli Suryanarayana and others urged Srikakualm Collector J. Nivas to look into the issue and provide immediate livelihood to the family members of the victims. The Collector who listened to their grievances assured to bring the issue to the notice of the government.
“We are planning to go to New Delhi and meet officials of External Affairs Ministry since names of some of the victims are not given officially although they were in the pictures released by Pakistan. The State government should also take up the issue seriously and talk to the Indian High Commission located in Islamabad,” said Mr. Sudhakar.
Penta Nilaveni and P. Apparao, parents of K. Manikantha from Chigudipeta of Etcherla mandal, said that their son was under the captivity of Pakistan for the last seven months. “The government provided financial assistance to other families. But we could not get anything. We are leading a pathetic life with lack of livehood after he was taken into custody by Pakistan. Mental agony is unbearable for us,” Mrs. Nilaveni added.
Another women S. Nukaratnam, wife of Rama Rao, one of the captives, urged the government to take up the issue seriously for the early release of her husband and other victims. “It is very difficult to lead our lives without the support of the head of family. We don’t have other financial sources. The government should come to our rescue,” she added.
