As many as 56 Indian fishermen, 10 from Kerala and 46 from Tamil Nadu, have been in the custody of Iranian authorities since October 10.
They had set out from the Qatar and accidently crossed the Iranian waters. Fr Churchil, general secretary of the South Asian Fishermen Fraternity (SAFF), said the fishermen have been confined to their fishing vessel. They have been denied food and are being mentally and physically tortured.
He has appealed to the Centre and the Kerala and Tamil Nadu governments to put pressure on Iran to either produce them before court or release them. “Though SAFF workers in Qatar had met Indian officials seeking help, they did not intervene,” Churchil said.
Published 07 November 2012, 17:35 IST