Gujarat’s waters remain a flashpoint, with 144 fishermen and 1,173 boats from the state in Pakistani custody as of December 31, 2024, according to the state government’s disclosure in the assembly. Over the past two years, Pakistan has seized 22 more Gujarat fishermen and four boats, with nine fishermen captured in 2023 and 13 in 2024. While 432 Gujarat fishermen were released between February 1, 2023, and January 21, 2024, no repatriations have occurred since, and not a single boat has been returned, deepening the crisis. Congress MLAs pressed the Fisheries Minister on the matter in the Gujarat Assembly, highlighting the prolonged detentions and lack of resolution.
The recent death of Babubhai Chudasama, a fisherman from Sokhda village in Una, while imprisoned in a Pakistani jail, has intensified concerns. Reports indicate he fell severely ill on January 23, 2025, and was taken to a city hospital, but he died en route before being returned to the prison. His family revealed he had remained in jail for four years despite completing his sentence due to bureaucratic delays. His death marks the fourth such incident in two years, underscoring the harsh conditions Indian fishermen face in Pakistani custody. A viral letter detailing his suffering and the circumstances of his death has further fueled outrage.
Families of detained fishermen allege that many remain imprisoned despite serving their sentences because of delays in embassy verification. They accuse Pakistani authorities of routinely capturing Indian boats and fishermen, treating them as hostages and scattering them across different prisons. Despite submitting necessary details to the Indian government, they claim the repatriation process remains stalled due to bureaucratic inefficiencies, leaving their loved ones stranded indefinitely.
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