TN seeks PM's help for release of fishermen detained in Iran

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami Friday sought the Centre's intervention for the release of six fishermen from the state detained by Iranian authorities for alleged violation of its maritime boundary.

The fishermen were reportedly detained in a fishing boat for more than a month, Palaniswami said in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"They do not have access to basic amenities and their essential supplies have exhausted," he said in a letter.

"Further many of the detained fishermen's visas are also expiring in a couple of months.

The prolonged incarceration of these poor fishermen, who went abroad for earning their livelihood, would severely affect the morale and survival of their families and dependents in India," he said.

The families were anxious and worried about their safety, he said.

Palaniswami urged the Centre to instruct the Indian Ambassador in Tehran to provide essential supplies to the fishermen immediately and to take legal measures to secure their immediate release.

The fishermen, who were operating from the fishing base of Dubai in United Arab Emirates, were apprehended and detained by the Iranian Coast Guard on September 1, he said.