Body of missing Pamban fisherman retrieved, drowning toll touches three
The body of the missing fisherman, Kaleel Rahman, 33, of Pamban, was recovered out from the mid-sea along the Palk Bay on Monday.
On Friday, five fishermen ventured into the sea after the 61-day ban ended. The mechanized boat reportedly developed a snag and the five fishers were in danger. After three went missing, two fishermen were saved and brought to the shore.
The ICG personnel and scuba divers were pressed into search operation, Marine police said, and added that two bodies were recovered on Saturday, while the third fisherman could not be located.
Due to poor visibility and rough sea, according to the divers, they suspended the search on Saturday and commenced on Sunday. However, they could not locate it anywhere. Finally, in the early hours of Monday, the body was found and the divers brought it to the shore, following which it was sent to Ramanathapuram Government Medical College Hospital for post-mortem, the police said.
Solatium
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced a solatium of ₹2 lakh to the family members of the deceased fishermen and also sanctioned ₹2,500 for performing last rites.
The Chief Minister also released ₹3 lakh from Chief Minister’s Relief Fund each for the three families, thus taking the total solatium to ₹5 lakh each.
Ramanathapuram District Collector B.Vishnu Prasad, MP Navas Kani, MLA Muthuramalingam and other officials visited the fishermen and handed over the cheques. They consoled the families who wept uncontrollably.
The fishermen association leader Jesu Raja said that as a mark of respect to the three departed souls, they stayed away from fishing activities on Monday and Tuesday. The boats were anchored and the normal life was hit in the coastal district.
He thanked the Chief Minister for immediately sanctioning the fund.
Some fishermen had reportedly ventured into the sea on Monday without obtaining tokens from the Fisheries Department and the fishermen associations strongly condemned the act of such fisherfolks.
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