Three fishermen who escaped on a Kuwaiti fishing boat have found support from an Indian political party. Both India and Kuwait have expressed interest in the matter as the dispute develops and accusations and denials trade.

Abdullah Al-Sarhid, the owner of the boat in question and a member of the Kuwaiti Fishermen’s Union, angrily refuted allegations that he mistreated the fishermen and withheld their wages in response to reports published in the Indian press. He dismissed the claims as untrue, claiming that the three people were “thieves” with a history of alcohol-related problems rather than victims.

Al-Sarhid provided evidence for his position in the form of court rulings and invoices, demonstrating that the fishermen had been paid and that two of them were legally barred from traveling because of past legal troubles. According to “The Hindu” newspaper, Thalavi Sundaram, a well-known member of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) party, paid the fishermen’s families a visit. Sundaram pledged his support for the fishermen, promising to compensate their families’ expenditures and offer legal aid until their rights were upheld.

The fishermen were being held by the Indian police, who arrested them and accused them of stealing the boat, leaving the country without permission, and entering it without permission. Both parties continue to offer their positions and take legal action as the matter develops.