The United States has announced a solatium to the next of kin of a Tamil Nadu fisherman killed in gunfire by US navy personnel off the Dubai coast last month but India hoped that it would not prejudice the probe into the incident.
“Yes, the US embassy has kept us informed of their decision to provide what they term as solatium to the next of kin of the Indian fisherman Sekar Arumugam, who was tragically killed in the incident in the Gulf and also to those who were injured,” External Affairs Ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin told reporters in New Delhi.
He said India hoped that this humanitarian gesture by the US would in no way prejudice the final outcome of the ongoing investigation underway in the US. Officials said the US has offered to match the Rs five lakh (US$9,005)solatium to Sekar and Rs 50,000 (US$900) to each of the three injured as announced by the Tamil Nadu government.
Sekar, hailing from Thoppu Valasai in Ramanathpuram District of the south Indian State of Tamil Nadu, was killed and three other fishermen injured on July 16 when a security team on board the US Navy ship fired at their small boat off Jabel Ali near Dubai, where they were working with a fishing company.
PTI