Fisherman’s body reaches Pudukai after five days

The Sri Lankan Navy Fast Attack Craft crew handed over the body of Pudukkottai fisherman to the Indian Coast Guard on Saturday after five days after he went missing.

Minister of Law S Regupathy received the mortal remains and handed over to the family members and the state government’s solatium of Rs 10 lakh.

On October 18, one of the Indian mechanised boats owned by Suresh of Kottaipattinam was hit during a chase by the Sri Lanka Fast Attack Craft for reportedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) in which one of the crew members R Rajkiran went missing in the impact while two fishermen S Sugandan and A Xavier who were struggling for life, secured by the SL Navy and taken to the island nation.

The missing of fisherman Rajkiran after SL Navy’s chase had sent shock waves among the community across Tamil Nadu coastline and several fishermen associations across the state staged series of protests including hunger strike to retrieve the body of Rajkiran and to send back two apprehended fishermen.

After diplomatic talks, the body of Rajkiran which was retrieved by the Sri Lankan Navy on the same day of missing was brought back and handed over to the Indian Coast Guard on Saturday at around 9.30 am.

The Indian Coast guard handed over the body to the team of officials and fishermen, who went to the spot in two mechanised boats in the midsea and they brought back the body to the shore at around 2 pm.

Minister S Regupathy received the body in the Kottaipattinam shore and handed over to the family members af ter paying tribute.

District Collector Kavitha Ramu, RDO Sornaraj, Regional Deputy Director (Fisheries) Sharmila, Assistant Director Chinnakuppan and other officials were present.

Later, the minister handed over the solatium of Rs 10 lakh from the state government.