"fishermen"

Smooth-coated otter was listed as an endangered animal by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

Earlier, Rahul Gandhi had demanded the setting up of a separate ministry for fisheries at a meeting in Puducherry.

Since the district received heavy rains in the last monsoon, all the water bodies in the district are brimming

Under Integrated Fisheries Development scheme, the Minister said fishermen were being given mopeds, four-wheelers, fishing nets, mobile fish kiosks and other facilities at subsidised rates.

A total of 22 fishermen were onboard the ill-fated boat at the time of the incident, police said.

Speaking to ANI, Arunpal Singh, Protocol Officer (Police) said, "These fishermen had entered India mistakenly and have completed their imprisonment. They are being handed over to Pakistan."

Ramesh and Rajabapu drowned when the boat capsized at a deepest spot of the project allegedly due to overload, when the five were casting nets in it for catching fish.

This year, some 500 migrants have died trying to cross the Central Mediterranean.