“Why did our own men have to shoot our fishermen? I want the government to ask me for answers and put an end to this haunting mystery,” alleged V. Madhumati, wife of the injured fisherman.
“Why did our own men have to shoot our fishermen? I want the government to ask me for answers and put an end to this haunting mystery,” alleged V. Madhumati, wife of the injured fisherman.
A fisherman-father, K. Virvel ventures out into the ocean for the first time beyond his usual confines, hoping to earn a little more money to celebrate Diwali with his family. However, after returning to the shore in the early hours of 21 October, his dream was short-lived after being shot in the abdomen and thigh. Indian Navy personnel opened fire on the boat and Virvel was hit by bullets.
This news. Veervel’s 26-year-old wife V. Madhumati is reached early in the morning and she is in tears and relieved that her husband lives.
“I am only thanking my stars and the brothers who did not leave them after the shoot. They at least gave him first aid and brought him to the shore,” she said while caressing her nine-month-old daughter V. Sayanika, who is sleeping on her lap.
He, along with his son V. Vijit, are at the Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai, where Mr. Veervel is undergoing treatment.
Looking at her husband’s condition, she is worried about the future. “How am I going to be the breadwinner with small kids at home? It is a reality to see my husband in such a situation, I never want any other family or woman to be there,” she said.
“Why did our own men have to shoot our fishermen? I want the government to ask me for answers and put an end to this haunting mystery,” alleged Ms Madhumati, wiping her tears incessantly.
fateful day
Relatives of 30-year-old Mr Veervel, a resident of Vanagiri near Poompuhar in Mayiladuthurai district, confirmed that this was the first time he had ventured into the sea on a mechanized fishing boat. The fiber boat they have cannot be used.
He was part of a 10-member crew that was set off for sea from Karaikal port on the midnight of 15 October. The incident happened when he was sailing in the Pak Gulf, his brother K. Khandavel said.
A Dhandapani, a fisherman and another relative of the injured, said the attack happened despite their boat carrying four national flags.
P. Chelladurai, 46, a fellow fisherman who was on the boat with Mr. Veervel, said they focused on the lights of the naval ship, when they were about 50 meters away, from shots fired by personnel. trained on them long ago.
“Our boat is no match for the ship used by naval personnel in terms of speed. They had myriad ways to stop us but they chose to fire without any logical reason even though we were not trying to hide,” he said.
“After Virvel was injured, we held our weapons high in the air and stopped firing before we could take us to the ship. While a Tamil Navy crew member looked after the injured, nine of us were forced to kneel and thrashed after our mobile phones were confiscated,” he said.
Mr Chelladurai said they were “beaten up with steel pipes and iron rods and hit on our heads and elsewhere with shoes,” even as they shouted for help. He and other crew members are being treated at the government hospital in Nagapattinam.
After airlifting Mr. Virvel, the fishermen returned to their mechanized boat, where naval personnel conducted searches. “Not finding anything, we were asked to follow them on our boat; He threatened to shoot again if the order was not followed. We were taken to Nagapattinam around 10.30 pm on October 21, when they deliberately delayed the journey,” he said.
V. Madhumati, wife of injured fisherman Veerval, stands with her husband, who is undergoing treatment at Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai on October 23, 2022. photo credit: G. Sculpture
on the road to recovery
Dean of Government Rajaji Hospital A. Rathinvel said that the condition of Mr. Veervel is stable. The “pellets” had explored from the right side of his back and exited the front near his abdomen, causing tears in his small intestine. He also had injury marks on his left thigh.
“Since the shrapnel breaks up into tiny particles, the injured areas are being treated to avoid developing any infection. But he is out of danger,” Dr. Rathinvel said. He ruled out any possibility of injuries to the disabled except for bruises on his abdomen and thigh.
He said Mr Virvel could be discharged from the hospital within 10 days and even start working in the next two months if all goes well.
call for action
Madurai MP S. Venkatesan, in his letter to Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, mentioned that the Italian government had provided a compensation of ₹10 crore to the kin of two Kerala fishermen killed in 2012 by Italians, and made similar demands. . There is also compensation for the injured fishermen.
He apologized to the Indian Navy for the “brutal attack on Tamil fishermen” and demanded appropriate action against the perpetrators.
Ms. Madhumati is grateful for the quality treatment being provided to her husband and the ministers’ words of support. Still he is shocked by this incident. “Every morning and sea voyage does not promise us an income of ₹500 or ₹1,000.
Sometimes he returns empty handed, which is why he decided to get out of the mechanized boat. But as it turns out, the price we paid to buy our children new clothes for Diwali was very expensive,” said Ms. Madhumati.
His relative M. Archana said, “The sea is our home and our only source of livelihood. At sea we are already facing many threats, being shot by our own men, who are supposed to protect us at all costs, is the last straw,” she alleged, calling on the state to make active efforts. Called to make full efforts. Stop such atrocities”.