Chennai: Chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take steps immediately for the release of 35 Indian fishermen arrested and detained by Iranian Coast Guard in three separate incidents.

“I bring this matter to your notice seeking your immediate and personal intervention to instruct the embassies of India in Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Iran to take effective legal steps to secure the immediate release of these poor innocent Indian fishermen,” he has said in his letter to the Prime Minister.

Five fishermen from Kanyakumari district ventured in a fishing boat Dhanak Tharin owned by a local sponsor from Saudi Arabia on August 5, 2016. They inadvertently strayed into Iranian waters and were apprehended and detained in Pachar Jail in Iran by the

Iranian Coast Guard two days later.

In the second incident, 15 fishermen from Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli and Ramanathapuram districts went out on three mechanised boats owned by three local sponsors from Muharakkh base of Bahrain on September 20.

They too strayed into Iranian waters and were apprehended and detained in Kish Island in Iran by the Iranian Coast Guard on September 22.

The letter says it is reported that the Iranian court imposed a fine which had also been paid by the fishermen through their local sponsors and were yet to be released.

Another batch of 15 fishermen from Ramanathapuram district went out fishing in boats owned by local sponsors from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and were detained in Kish Island on December 27.

Prolonged incarceration had severely affected their families and dependents in India, Palaniswami said, requesting Modi to give instructions to the Ministry of External Affairs for speedy action.