MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed the Centre to respond to a petition seeking the rescue of around 700 Tamil Nadu fishermen stranded in Iran.
The petition, filed by Naam Tamilar Katchi fishermen wing state coordinator Dheeran Thirumurugan, stated that 25 fishermen from Tiruppalaikudi in Ramanathapuram district, including his relative Mukesh, 26, are stranded at Bandar-e-Jask port due to the ongoing conflict in the region.
The petition alleged that the fishermen are unable to return to India and are facing shortages of food, drinking water and medical facilities. It further stated that shelling, airstrikes and explosions in the surrounding areas pose a threat to their lives.
It also claimed that coastal and port areas in Iran have become unsafe, and that nearly 700 fishermen from Tamil Nadu are stranded in different parts of the country.
Hearing the plea, a bench comprising Justices Anand Venkatesh and KK Ramakrishnan directed the Centre to file its response and adjourned the case to April 22.