Vadodara: Twenty-one days after his death in a Karachi jail, the body of a 37-year-old Indian fisherman was flown home to Mumbai, from where it is being brought to his native village in Junagadh district of Gujarat, a state Fisheries official said on Friday.
"The mortal remains of Dudhabhai Naranbhai Makwana, who passed away in Pakistani custody on July 4 following a cardiac arrest, reached Mumbai late last night and was expected to reach Ghatvad village of Kodinar taluka by this evening," Gujarat Fisheries department official J K Rathod, who received the body, said.
Rathod said that the body is being taken by road to Ghatvad village after completing all the formalities at the Mumbai airport.
Makwana and five others were arrested by Pakistan marine security agencies off Jakhau coast on September 29, 2012, he said.
Veljibhai Masani, Senior Vice President of the Akhil Gujarat Machhimar Mahamandal (Gujarat Fishermen Association), said that as soon as the locals learnt about Makwana`s death in Pakistani jail early this month, arrangements were worked out for bringing his body home.
He also claimed that Makwana died of "brain haemorrhage".
Earlier, Ramji Vala, a fisherman from the state, had died in Pakistani jail in May last year, he said.
According to Masani, there are 425 Indian fishermen (mostly from Gujarat and union territory of Diu and Daman) languishing in Pakistani jails whereas there are 150 Pakistani fishermen in Indian custody.
Also, Pakistan has seized 750 Indian boats so far since 2003 and has not returned them despite repeated demands, he said.
PTI
