New lease of life for 6 TN fishermen

Repro from New Indian Express
Published Date: 10/29/2008.

G Saravanan

Chennai, October 28: THOUGH Chennaiites and others elsewhere in Tamil Nadu celebrated Deepavali with customary pomp and fanfare on Monday, the families of six Kasimedu fishermen, who have returned from Colombo after spending six restless weeks, observed the festival of lights only on Tuesday.

The fishermen, Vinod (25), Gopal (50), Desingh (49), Pon Boss (60), Kumar (30) and Arumugam (28), had ventured into the sea from Kasimedu Fishing Harbour on a mechanised boat owned by Balu on September 18. They were scheduled to return after three days.

But things had gone awry on the third day as their boat developed technical snag and started drifting in mid-sea. Panicstricken boat owner and the family members of the fishermen had lodged a complaint with the Kasimedu police and remained in prayer.

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan fishermen rescued the missing Indian fishermen from their boat after 17 restless days on October 6 and landed them at Trincomalee. After hectic diplomatic efforts by the Indian High Commission in Colombo, all the six fishermen were set free and brought to the Indian soil after a 40- day ordeal.

It was double delight for Rajeshwari, wife of returned fisherman Desingh. “For us, Deepawali celebration was on Tuesday only, as my husband and my son-in-law Kumar (another crew on the same boat) returned home.”

“As days gone by, relatives have lost their hope on my husband, but my daughter Sujatha and me had faith on the Goddess that both of them ( husband and son-inlaw would come back soon,” she told Express.

Emotion gripped Desingh’s home in Kasimedu when his grandchildren Vinodhini (5) and Danush (1) hugged their grandfather and father and asked them: “ Where have you been all these days,? Little did they know their 40-day ordeal on sea and land.

Besides Desingh and Kumar, other fishermen also have innumerable tales to tell their children and family members.Though the festival of lights passed by on Monday, families of these fishermen lit their homes with traditional lamps on Tuesday symbolising the return of the breadwinners.