Mumbai’s coast gets its biggest guard crew yet as Sagar Rakshak force expands

Cops with Sagar Rakshak volunteers who alert authorities to suspicious mid-sea activity. Pics/By Special Arrangement

As Mumbai marks the anniversary of the 26/11 terror attacks, the city police have massively ramped up coastal surveillance by expanding their community-driven Sagar Rakshak system to its largest strength ever. The number of registered coastal volunteers, mostly fishermen, boatmen and maritime workers, has jumped from 549 last year to a record 1851, including 45 teams, in 2025, the highest in the programme's history.

Mumbai's shoreline has long been one of India's most sensitive security frontiers. The 26/11 attackers entered the city by sea after hijacking a fishing vessel, and the explosives used in the 1993 serial blasts were also smuggled in through the coast. While the police have since upgraded weapons, communication tools and patrol boats, officers admit that no technology can replace the eyes and instincts of those who work at sea every day.

To bridge that gap, the Port Zone police have intensified their Sagar Rakshak initiative, conducting outreach with fishermen's societies, maritime associations and coastal communities. The drive added 1302 new volunteers this year. Each Sagar Rakshak is trained to immediately alert the Control Room or Port Zone unit if they spot suspicious activity such as abandoned boats, unknown persons offshore or unauthorised vessels entering city limits.

Post monsoon, the expanded network has already become active along the coastline, giving regular real-time alerts on mid-sea movements, illegal transfers and suspected smuggling. Police say the network has significantly strengthened early warning capability along a coast once exploited by terror operatives.

"Coastal security is extremely critical. This year, we registered 1302 new volunteers. The expanded Sagar Rakshak force will remain a strong support system for the Mumbai Police," said Vijaykant Sagar, DCP Port Zone.

How Sagar Rakshaks helped

A timely alert from Sagar Rakshak fishermen helped Mumbai Police bust a major illegal mid-sea diesel transfer off Ferry Wharf earlier this month. Past midnight on November 6, the volunteers spotted two barges anchored unusually close to each other around 800 metres from the New Fish Jetty and noticed faint lights, a motor pump and suspicious activity. They immediately alerted Port Zone authorities.

A team led by Constable Sikandar Anant Dolkar intercepted the barges - Shri Anant Laxmi and MT Pranay - around 1.30 am and found an unauthorised diesel transfer underway. Police seized 9700 litres of diesel-like liquid, a pump, a siphoning pipeline and both vessels, together valued at R4.59 crore.

An FIR was registered at Yellow Gate police station on November 7. Ten accused - barge masters, seamen, a helper and a driver - were arrested, while three more remain wanted. Investigators said the group was buying stolen diesel without licences and transferring it without safety measures. Police are now probing the wider network.