NGO plea for rescuing 4 TN fishermen jailed in Qatar

A non-governmental organisation, working for the welfare of fishermen, has sought the Centre's intervention to free four Tamil Nadu fishermen jailed in Qatar for allegedly straying into the waters of the Arab country.
"The fishermen, working for a Saudi Arabian company, were arrested by Qatari Coast Guard personnel on January 7 when they strayed into the Qatar Sea Zone after putting out to sea from Saudi coast of Dharin," P Justin Antony, President of Tamil Nadu Fishermen Development Trust said.
A fine of Rs 15 lakh(20,000 Qatari Riyals) was imposed on them on Feb 10, when they were produced before a court in Qatar.

The Saudi Arabian employer had opted to file an appeal against the court order, Antony said in a release here today.
The family members of the four fishermen from Kanyakumari District have sought theintervention of the Central Government to insist the Saudi employer to pay the fine amount and rescue them.
Else, the Centre should pay the fine amount and rescue them, he added.