Eight More Fishermen Stranded in Kuwait, Efforts Underway for Repatriation

In a dramatic turn of events, three fishermen from Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, arrived in Mumbai aboard a fishing boat, seeking refuge from alleged harassment by their employer in Kuwait. The trio—Enfant Vijay Vinod Anthony, Nidiso Deto, and Sahya Anthony Anish—revealed that eight additional individuals from their village were trapped in Kuwait. The authorities are now liaising with the Indian Embassy to facilitate the repatriation of these eight stranded men.

The saga unfolded on February 6 when the Mumbai police’s patrolling boat intercepted the trawler near Prongs Lighthouse, approximately four nautical miles from the Gateway of India. The police apprehended the three fishermen and impounded the boat.

According to a police officer, the fishermen had fled Kuwait on their employer Abdulla Sharahid’s fishing trawler, ostensibly for a fishing expedition. The trawler, loaded with 6,000 liters of diesel, navigated the sea route to Mumbai. Subsequently, the local Kuwaiti authorities registered a case based on Sharahid’s complaint, accusing the fishermen of stealing his trawler. The Mumbai police added sections 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 120B (conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code to the charges against the trio.

However, their lawyer, advocate Sunil Pandey, contested the allegations, asserting that the police found nothing suspicious. Pandey argued that the fishermen had traveled from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Muscat, Oman, and Pakistan before reaching Indian waters to escape their abusive employer. The lawyer emphasized the dire circumstances, noting that the fishermen, surviving on bread and butter, were in need of assistance.

Initially booked under various sections of the Indian Passport Act for illegal entry, the fishermen now face additional charges due to confirmed reports of harassment in Kuwait. Pandey informed that bail applications had been filed for the trio, emphasizing their innocence.

Moreover, Pandey disclosed that eight more individuals from the fishermen’s village were stranded in Kuwait. Collaborating with law enforcement, efforts are underway to initiate the process of repatriating these individuals.

The incident underscores the complexities surrounding migrant labor and the challenges faced by individuals seeking escape from abusive work environments abroad.