The National Fishworkers’ Forum and the Kerala Swathanthra Matsya Thozhilali Federation have appealed to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to intervene to bring back 24 fishermen jailed in Qatar allegedly for illegal entry into the country’s waters. In an appeal sent to the Chief Minister, the fishworkers’ forum said that 24 fishers, four from Kerala and the rest from Tamil Nadu, had set out from Iran on a fishing venture in March. However, they were arrested by the authorities in Qatar allegedly for violating the borders. They were jailed after a fine of 50,000 Qatar riyals was imposed on them. They were later released from jail after their sponsor paid the fine. The fishers’ union said the State should step in and involve the Indian Embassy in Qatar to repatriate the fishers. The Keralite fishers in the group were identified as Sebastian, 20, from Poovar; Silva Dasan, 33, from Adimalathura; Stephen, 42, from Pallithottam in Kollam; and Lephus, 42, from Moothakkara.
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