This revelation emerged during a search operation initiated by the police subsequent to the recent detection of a suspected Pakistani boat on the Coast Guard's radar in the Arabian Sea near Korlai fort, Raigad
The police have forwarded the compilation of these unregistered boats to the fisheries department to undertake appropriate action against the respective owners. Representational Pic
Police authorities have discovered that in excess of 1,000 vessels are operating without valid registration within the coastal region of Raigad district in Maharashtra, as stated by an official on Friday.
This revelation emerged during a search operation initiated by the police subsequent to the recent detection of a suspected Pakistani boat on the Coast Guard's radar in the Arabian Sea near Korlai fort, Raigad, according to PTI.
"The Raigad police commenced an investigation to locate the suspected Pakistani vessel. During this operation, it was found that over 1,000 boats are functioning without proper registration along the district's coastline," stated Raigad Superintendent of Police (SP) Aanchal Dalal, reported news agency PTI.
The police have forwarded the compilation of these unregistered boats to the fisheries department to undertake appropriate action against the respective owners.
"Registration of boats is very important for coastal security and for the protection of fishermen. If any emergency situation arises when they go fishing, the police should be able to trace their boat and give proper assistance in times of distress mid-sea," she said, reported news agency PTI.
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on Sunday night informed the police that the suspected Pakistani boat, "Muqadar Boya 99" with a boat number MMSI-463800411, was spotted near the Korlai fort. It was identified as a fishing net buoy which drifted into the Indian waters with an AIS transponder.
Dalal added that the search for the fishing buoy was still underway.
The potential security scare sent agencies into a tizzy as 10 terrorists from Pakistan had sailed in a boat to reach the Mumbai coastline under the cover of darkness and launched a deadly terror attack in November 2008, killing 166 people.
Security heightened after suspicious boat spotted near Raigad shoreline in Maharashtra
Earlier, the Law enforcement and maritime security agencies have ramped up their efforts to locate a suspicious vessel, reportedly “possibly a Pakistani fishing boat,” that was sighted off the Revdanda coastline in Maharashtra’s Raigad district.
The operation was launched after the vessel appeared on the Indian Navy’s radar system on Sunday night, around two nautical miles from the Korlai coast near Revdanda, according to officials cited by news agency PTI.
While the identity and origin of the vessel have not yet been confirmed, initial reports from authorities suggest that it could be a Pakistani fishing boat. Officials emphasised that further verification would be carried out once the vessel is successfully intercepted. Preliminary assessments indicate the vessel may have drifted toward the Raigad coast, possibly due to weather conditions, including heavy rain, strong winds or navigational issues, though its true intent remains unclear.
(With PTI inputs)
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