Three Tamil Nadu fishermen found in Oman fishing boat in Malpe

Tamil Nadu fishermen travel from Oman to India by boat, arrested for illegal entry without passport, facing legal consequences.

Unable to bear the alleged irregular payment of wages by Oman-based fish trader, three Tamil Nadu fishermen travelled in a boat from Oman to be arrested by the Indian Coast Guard near Malpe in Udupi district on February 23, 2025, for travelling without passport.

The Coastal Security Police (CSP), Malpe, Udupi, gave the names of the three fishermen as Jamesh Franklin Moses (50) and Derose Alphonso (38) of Ramanathapuram; and Robinston (50) of Tirunalveli.

The police said the three fishermen left by an Oman fishing boat of Shattaf Launch Manufacturing from Duqm port in Oman on February 17. They sailed a distance of 1,326 nautical miles to reach Malpe on February 23. Noticing the entry of a foreign fishing vessel towards St. Mary’s Island in Malpe, the Coast Guard patrolling vessel ‘Amarthya’ intercepted the fishing boat.

In the complaint to Coastal Security Police, Malpe, the Coast Guard Boarding Officer Sukhvinder Singh said the three fishermen did not possess Indian Passport. They also did not have any documents related to the fishing boat. He alleged that the three fishermen illegally brought foreign vessel into the Indian waters.

During the inquiry, the CSP found that the three fishermen were among the seven who had been to work in fishing boats in Oman a few years ago. Unable to put up with the reported irregular payment of salary, four fishermen left Oman citing different reasons and returned to India. The remaining three left by the Oman boat with the intention of surrendering before Indian authorities.

The CSP personnel checked the fishing boat along with officials from Indian Coast Guard and Customs. They did not find any suspicious material in the boat.

The CSP Malpe registered a case under Section 3 of Passport (Entry into India) Act 1920 and Sections 10,11,12 of Maritime Zone of Indian Act 1981. The fishermen were produced before the jurisdictional magistrate in Udupi on February 25, who remanded them to 14 days of judicial custody.