A 47-year-old fisherman from Porbandar, who was allegedly caught by Pakistan Marine Security Agency (MSA) last year off Gujarat coast, died in a Karachi-based jail in Pakistan due to TB, a National Fishworkers Forum leader said today.
The deceased has been identified as Ratandas Makwana.
NFF Secretary Manish Lodhari also said that another fishermen from Porbandar, identified as Vagha Chauhan, had died in a Karachi jail in December last year, but his body has not been sent to his family yet.
Lodhari today wrote a letter to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj requesting her to expedite the process to bring back bodies of the two fishermen from Pakistan.
He said Makwana died in Malir Landi jail in Karachi two days back.
"He (Makwana) was a resident of Kodinar town and employed by a boat owner of Porbandar. He, along with some other fishermen, was caught by Pakistani authorities last year and kept in Karachi jail. Today, we learned that he died of TB in Malir Landi jail two days back," Lodhari, who also heads Porbandar Boat Owners Association, said in Porbandar.
He claimed that Chauhan died in Karachi jail on December 22 last year and his body has not been sent to his family yet.
"In the letter, I have requested Swaraj to use her influence to bring both these bodies back here as soon as possible, as families of these fishermen want to see them for the last time and perform their last rites. I have attached details of both these fishermen along with the letter," he said.
