22 Indian fishermen sent home from Pakistan
Lahore/Islamabad, Feb 22 (PTI): As many as 22 Indian fishermen, who were languishing in Pakistan's Karachi jail, were released and sent to their country on Saturday, officials said.
The released fishermen were handed over to Indian authorities at the Wagah Border near here.
The released Indian fishermen were brought to Lahore from Karachi in a special bus run by Edhi Foundation earlier in the day.
“Each Indian fisherman was provided with PKR 5,000, meals, and gifts by the Edhi Foundation,” a spokesperson for Edhi Foundation told PTI.
The freed individuals include Bhupat, Mala, Krishan, Khalaf, Mohan, Asif, Ashok, Akbar, Lakhman, Moji, Deepak, Ram, Hari, Tapu, Suresh, Vijay, Manoj Kumar, Vinu, Mahesh, Subhash, Sanjay, and Selendhar.
Earlier, Malir (Karachi) Jail Superintendent Arshad Shah told the media that the fishermen were released after completing their sentences. They were all arrested for unintentionally crossing into Pakistan’s territorial waters.
Fishermen from both countries are frequently arrested due to poorly demarcated sea frontiers.
Edhi Foundation head Faisal Edhi urged both India and Pakistan to adopt a more compassionate approach toward fishermen who mistakenly cross maritime boundaries.
According to the latest prisoner exchange lists shared between India and Pakistan on January 1, 2025: Pakistan held 266 Indian prisoners, including 49 civilian prisoners and 217 fishermen while India held 462 Pakistani prisoners, including 381 civilian prisoners and 81 fishermen.
A reply from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in Lok Sabha on December 12, 2024 said that a total of 2639 Indian fishermen have been repatriated from Pakistan since 2014.
Out of the 209 fishermen -- as of July 1, 2024 -- under Pakistan’s custody, 51 fishermen have been in Pakistani jails since 2021; 130 fishermen since 2022; 9 fishermen since 2023; and 19 fishermen since 2024, the MEA said.
Edhi Foundation's Faisal Edhi highlighted the suffering of the families of fishermen from both the sides during their prolonged incarcerations and called for their immediate release and swift repatriation once their sentences are completed.
Pakistani authorities repatriate Indian fishermen through the Wagah border, and their onward journey home in the coastal areas is facilitated by the Indian authorities after completing official formalities. Similarly, Indian authorities release Pakistani fishermen at the Wagah border and their homeward journey to the coastal area is facilitated by the Pakistani authorities.
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Man smashes wife's head with stone suspecting her fidelity
Ramanagara (Karnataka) (PTI): A 21-year-old woman was allegedly murdered by her husband, who smashed her head with a stone suspecting her fidelity, police said on Saturday.
According to police, the incident took place in Kullegowdanapalya under the limits of Kaggalipura police station.
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The deceased has been identified as Sinchana (21). The accused is her husband Renukaiah, police said.
Renukaiah frequently quarrelled with his wife suspecting her fidelity.
"On Friday after consuming alcohol, he picked up a quarrel with her. In a fit of rage, he brought a stone lying in front of the house and smashed it on her head, killing her on the spot," police said.
Police said the accused fled the scene immediately after the incident.
"On receiving information, Kaggalipura police visited the spot, conducted an inspection and shifted the body for post-mortem.
A case has been registered and efforts are under way to trace and arrest the accused," police added.
