TN urges Centre to bring back fisherman's body

The Tamil Nadu government on Sunday sought the Centre's help in the early transportation of the body of a fisherman from the state killed in Saudi Arabia and also take up the issue of monetary benefits due to his family.

Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that S Mathivalan (45) of Kanyakumari was "shot dead by unidentified persons" while fishing on the high seas of Saudi Arabia. He had set sail on May 29 along with seven other fishermen, all of whom hailed from Tamil Nadu, she said in a letter to the PM.

The "poor and innocent" fishermen had gone on contract "and the family of the deceased fisherman is traumatized by the loss of their sole breadwinner and seeks the early return of his body," she said, adding his body was 'reportedly' kept in a government hospital in Saudi Arabia.

"I request you to direct the Indian Embassy at Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to take urgent steps to arrange for the transportation of the body of the deceased fisherman Mathi Valan, back to Tamil Nadu, at the earliest.

Meanwhile, in a separate statement, Jayalalithaa condoled the death of the fisherman and expressed her sympathy with his family.