Cyclone Ockhi: Demanding relief, fishermen go on hunger strike

Demanding release of relief fund for kin of those killed in the Cyclone Ockhi, fishermen went on a hunger strike here on 15 December and protested against the state government.

To control the protesters, police used water cannons to disperse the crowd, who were agitating outside the secretariat.

The state government had earlier set up a special relief fund in order to initiate relief and rehabilitation measures for families affected by the cyclone.

The members of state cabinet have already contributed their one month's salaries to the Ockhi Cyclone Relief Fund.

The death toll due to the cyclone, which hit the Kerala coast last month, mounted to 68 on Thursday.

The cyclone has left a trail of destruction in southern and western India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, killing 115 people and leaving over 100 missing. 

-ANI