Byndoor: The Iranian border police have arrested 18 of India’s fishermen on the charges of violating the international border. Of the 18, one is from Shirur and the other 17 are from Uttara Kannada district. They had gone to Dubai to seek employment and were working there as fishermen when they were arrested by the Iranian government. It is reported that the fishermen and their boats are in Iran for the past two and a half months. All of the arrested were working for a Dubai-based boat owner Sheikh Merwan. On July 27, they were nabbed by the Iranian policemen for crossing their country’s border.
All the arrested are the sole breadwinners of their families. Since their arrest, they have not been able to send money back to their family. Previously, they had gone to Dubai with an aim of earning more money to educate their children so that they would have a better future.
Fisherman belonging to Tamil Nadu and Gujarat were detained in the past for the same reason and later released by the police
