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Fisherman who had died in Pak, cremated in Gujarat village

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Press Trust of India Vadodara
The fisherman, who had died in Karachi jail in Pakistan in December, was cremated at his native village Garal in Una taluka of Junagadh district today.

The mortal remains of th 35-year-old fisherman Bhikha Lakha Shiyal had been flown to Mumbai from Karachi yesterday.

The fisherman's 12-year-old daughter Bhavika, lit the funeral pyre.

Shiyal was reportedly captured, along with seven fishermen, by sleuths of the Pakistani Maritime Security on October 25 last year, when their fishing trawler allegedly entered into that country's territorial waters.

Shiyal and others were reportedly fishing near Jakhau port in Kutch district when the incident happened.
 

His family had alleged that Shiyal was tortured to death.

The issue shot into prominence after state chief minister Narendra Modi sought intervention of Congress president Sonia Gandhi and the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Shiyal's minor daughter had also written to Sonia and the Prime Minister seeking their help in arranging visas for Shiyal's family members to visit Karachi jail.

Sonia's political secretary Ahmed Patel had also taken up the issue with the External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid on February 10.

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First Published: Feb 16 2014 | 9:05 PM IST

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