18 fishermen from Bhatkal arrested in Iran released
Bhatkal, Jan 09: Fifteen fishermen from Uttara Kannada district have been released by Iranian authorities after they had illegally entered their country five months ago, according to a top district official.
"We are happy that fifteen fishermen from Uttara Kannada were released on Tuesday. Karnataka Chief Minister and the district administration had written to the Union government. Thereafter, a lot of effort has transpired," Uttara Kannada Deputy Commissioner S S Nakul told PTI over phone.
All the fishermen are enroute to UAE on their boats and later, based on their convenience, they would return to India, Nakul said.
Initially, the boat owners made efforts to get the fishermen released, but it was only after the intervention of the Indian Foreign Affairs Ministry that the Iranian government agreed to release them.
The fishermen were detained since July 27 by the Iranian government after they had illegally entered Kish island in Iran, he said.
They were working on three boats owned by a UAE businessman, he added.
Soon after fifteen Indian fishermen were detained along with three other fishermen from Dubai, they had posted a video through WhatsApp to Karwar district administration, Nakul said.
The district administration then wrote a letter to the Ministry of External Affairs and requested Sushma Swaraj to take up the matter, he said.
Nakul said the release of the fishermen was delayed because one of the three Dubai-based fishermen in the Iranian authorities detention escaped from the boat.
"As a punishment, the Iranian authorities, sent the other two Dubai-based fishermen to jail and Indian fishermen were detained in the boats," he said.
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Karnataka govt ready to assist stranded students amid Iran–Israel conflict: Minister Parameshwara
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Sunday said the state government was closely monitoring the situation arising out of the ongoing armed conflict between Israel and Iran and was prepared to extend all necessary assistance to stranded people, especially students from Karnataka.
He said reports had been received that several students from different districts had travelled to the region and were unable to return due to the escalating hostilities.
“From Chikkaballapura district, around 150 people — all of them schoolchildren and college students — have gone there. We have received news that they are stranded there. We will try to reach them. Whatever help is required, the state government is ready to provide. We will get in touch with the concerned authorities,” he said.
Asked how he viewed the recurring conflicts between countries, the Home Minister said, “These are matters related to international relationships between countries. Some of these countries have been raising issues against each other’s policies. Now it has come to a stage where Iran is involved, the United States is involved, and Israel is involved. We will see whether this gets resolved or escalates.”
Expressing concern over civilian casualties, he said it is "unfortunate" that children, particularly the younger generation — about 85 people — have lost their lives.
On reports of schools being hit in the conflict, Parameshwara said this was not what people would expect from countries. "Hopefully, it gets resolved as early as possible."
Responding to a question that global conflicts appear to be expanding from Russia–Ukraine to now the US, Iran and Israel, he said, “It is not a good message. We have not seen this kind of situation after the Second World War. Now it is picking up — one country after another. It should not be escalated in the interest of humanity.”
