Four fishermen die mysteriously after month-long fishing trip

KARACHI:

A total of four fishermen from Rehri Goth died under mysterious circumstances days after returning from a month-long fishing trip at sea.

SHO Sukhan Irfan Ali Sehto said the fishermen - identified as Hashim, Hussain, Usman and Siddique - had gone for fishing for a month and returned to Rehri Goth. Soon after their return, their health deteriorated and they were initially taken to a private hospital and later to Jinnah Hospital.

All four died on separate days during treatment within a span of a week, the SHO said, adding that no injury marks or signs of torture were found on their bodies. Doctors termed the deaths as natural, he added.

A video statement of the niece of one of the deceased also surfaced. She said that five persons including her maternal uncle, cousin and other relatives had gone for fishing in the sea. After returning, they complained of abdominal pain. She said they were first taken to a nearby private hospital and after check-up returned home.

Later when they complained about pain again, they were taken to another private hospital and on doctors' advice shifted to Jinnah Hospital, where doctors diagnosed kidney and heart-related complications. They were admitted and died during the treatment.

SHO Sehto said further investigation into the incident is underway.

A day ago, 11 fishermen reunited with their families after their return from Indian prisons. The fishermen arrived in Karachi after being transported from the Wagah border in Lahore.

Among those returning were six fishermen from Mauripur - 28-year-old Muhammad Sharif Bengali, 35-year-old Noorul Amin Bangal, Kamal Hussain Bengali and Noor Nabi Bengali, 36-year-old Ameer Hussain Bengali, and 41-year-old Azeemuddin Bengali.