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Blood samples of arrested
Thai fishermen sent for tests

Blood samples of 47 arrested Thai fishermen have been sent to Cuttack Medical College and Hospital for tests, by the Orissa police on Wednesday, following fears that they were suffering from AIDS.

The Coast Guard arrested the fishermen in two trawlers near the Paradip coast on Monday afternoon. They were then taken to Paradip port and handed over to the police.

B C Sahu, inspector in charge of Paradip port police station, confirmed to rediff.com over the telephone that their blood samples were sent for medical examination for suspected AIDS.

"Earlier too, blood samples of arrested Thai fishermen have been sent for medical examination," he said.

Sahu added that the two trawlers were detained by the police, to begin prosecution against the fishermen. The prosecution will be based on a report by the Coast Guard.

"The fishermen were presented before the special district judicial magistrate, Jagattsinghpur district, on January 24 and were remanded to custody," he said.

He said that prosecution was initiated against them under various acts and under provisions of the Indian Penal Code, for unauthorised entry into the territorial waters of India, in the Bay of Bengal.

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