Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister, M K Stalin, expressed concern regarding the safety of a fisherman from the state reportedly detained in Oman. He urged the External Affairs Ministry to employ diplomatic channels for his swift repatriation.
The family of the affected individual, Pethalis, is anxious about his well-being after he was taken to an undisclosed location in Oman by unidentified individuals, revealed the chief minister.
Pethalis, hailing from Kanniyakumari district and the son of Siluvai Antony, was part of an 18-member crew from Tamil Nadu working on fishing boats registered under Ujala Amrohi in Oman. The chief minister, in a letter to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, highlighted the situation where the crew allegedly faced unpaid salaries from the boat’s owner.
The letter further detailed a dispute between the owner and the fishermen, particularly led by Pethalis. As a result, unknown individuals reportedly took Pethalis to an undisclosed location, leaving his wife, Shoba Rani, seeking assistance for his safe return to India. Copies of this correspondence were made available to the media for awareness.