New Delhi: A Pakistani fishing boat with seven crew members was held in Indian seas off the Gujarat coast by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), a Defence official said on Wednesday. The Pakistani boat, suspected of transporting contraband, was arrested by the ICG on the evenings of May 30 and 31, based on intelligence supplied by the Gujarat Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS), news agency PTI reported.
“@IndiaCoastGuard ship Arinjay on #intelligence input by ATS #Gujarat apprehended #Pakistani fishing Boat Al Noman with 07 crew in #Indian waters at #ArabianSea. Boat suspected of carrying contraband & being brought to Okha for further rummaging and investigation,” Defence PRO Gujarat tweeted.
The boat is being transferred to Okha (in Devbhumi Dwarka) for additional rummage and inquiry, according to the report.
“The Pakistani boat ‘Al Noman’ with seven crew members was apprehended by ICG ship ‘Arinjay’ on the intervening nights of May 30 and 31 based on an intelligence input shared by the Gujarat ATS that it was carrying a consignment of contraband,” Defence sources were quoted by PTI in its report.
No contraband was discovered during the preliminary inspection of the boat in the sea, but further searching will take place once it arrives in Okha on June 2, they claimed.
According to sources familiar with the operation, when the ICG ship requested the strangely moving boat in Indian seas near the notional maritime boundary with Pakistan to stop, the boat began evasive manoeuvring.
“ICG ship Arinjay, despite very rough sea and challenging weather, manoeuvred and stopped the boat. On close examination, it was revealed to be a Pakistani boat,” they said.
(With Inputs From PTI)