The families of seven Indian fishermen detained in Iran and Saudi Arabia and a fisherman who went missing in Kuwait have petitioned the Kanyakumari district collector, Prashant M Wadnere seeking combined efforts of the central and state governments and the embassies to bring them back home. In their representation submitted with the help of South Asian Fishermen Fraternity (SAFF) and their respective parish priests, they sought immediate intervention of the Indian Prime Minister of India, Tamil Nadu chief minister, external affairs minister and India’s ambassadors in Iran, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait in solving the issue. General secretary of SAFF, Churchil said that fishermen Sahaya Peter, 45 of Colachel, Amutham Carmel alias Sudharson, 43 of Pozhikarai, and Christhadimai, 23 of Kollencode, worked for Jaffar Alfhan a Saudi national in his mechanized boat in Tharine, Saudi Arabia. On January 2 the trio went fishing. On January 5, they were abducted by smugglers who were escaping after a gun battle with the Saudi Arabian coast guard. The smugglers abandoned the fishermen at Phissar in Iran and escaped. The fishermen were detained by Iranian coast guard as they were spotted within their territorial waters. These three fishermen were not aware of the shooting between the smugglers and Saudi Arabian coast guard. They are innocent and are suffering because of the crime committed by the smugglers. Families of the fishermen are worried about their plight. The families want them to be repatriated to their native, Churchil said. In the second incident, Sebaskar, 27 of Kodimunai, Sahaya Kabilan, 24 of Kottilpadu, in Kanyakumari district and Satheese Kumar and Thilak Raja of Pudukottai district employed by Hushaine in Saudi Arabia went fishing from Tharine on November 16, 2018. They were arrested by the Qatar coast guard on November 17 for entering their border. They were imprisoned for 25 days in Muzarpur jail at Qatar. After their release they were brought to Saudi Arabia, where they were jailed for 45 days for the same reason, Churchil said and added that their families want the men to be brought back home. In yet another incident, Shaya Arun Prinson, 23, of Colachel, working in Kuwait went fishing with a few others on January 15. After returning to the jetty on January 17 the fellow fishermen noticed Prinson missing. He could not be traced till date and his family is worried about his safety and whereabouts, the activist added.