MADURAI: Minister for Milk and Dairy Development T. Mano Thangaraj on Thursday handed over compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the kin of three fishermen, who drowned last month. The minister, along with officials of the Fisheries Department, visited the aggrieved families and consoled them.

The solatium was extended through the Fishermen Welfare Board as per the directive of Chief Minister MK Stalin. The three fishermen, Pious, Anto, and Arockiam, hail from Kottilpadu and Colachel hamlets, respectively.

They, along with 13 other fishermen, had set out to sea in a mechanised boat off Colachel fishing harbour on September 25. Unfortunately, the boat was capsized and sank 30 nautical miles away from Manapad following rough weather. Except the three, other fishermen managed to escape.