Date:08/12/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/12/08/stories/2006120816530300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Four Burmese fishermen held

Staff Reporter

CHENNAI : The city police arrested four fishermen from Myanmar on charges of violating the Indian Passport Act here on Thursday.

The police said a group of fishermen from Kasimedu area, who had gone into the sea for fishing, spotted a country boat near Muttukaadu in which a few persons sought help.

When they were rescued on Wednesday midnight, the strangers identified themselves as fishermen from Burma.

After bringing them to the shores, the Fishing Harbour police conducted inquiries.

The names of the four persons were given as Moun Thee Ku Ma (31), Gopiye (35), Somiyo (55) and Mang Zo (51).

The fishermen claimed that they had set out into the sea for fishing a month ago, but after bad weather and rough sea, they lost their way. All the four fishermen, who spoke in Myanmarese, thanked the local fishermen, who provided them food on Wednesday night as they had been starving for several days.

Case registered

The police registered a case of violation of the Indian Passport Act. The four were produced before the George Town Court, which remanded them to judicial custody.