Gujarat Coast Must Be Patrolled And Kept Under 24×7 Surveillance
Two boats of Pakistan Maritime Security Agency with five personnel in each, intruded into Indian Waters off Gujarat Coast and attacked a fishing trawler killing one Sridhar Ramesh Chamre age 32, a fisherman from Palghar district in Maharashtra.
Seven fishermen on board ‘Jalpari’ were engaged in fishing activities in the Indian waters near the international boundary when 10 PMSA personnel onboard two boats opened fire, killing one of the fishermen and injuring another. Fisherman, named Dilip Solanki age 34 m who hailed from Diu, was injured in the firing. He is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Okha coastal town of Devbhumi Dwarka district in Gujarat.
The boat had sailed from Okha for fishing activities on October 25 with seven fishermen onboard, two of whom were from Maharashtra, four from Gujarat and one from Diu (in the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu) said an officials of Gujarat.
Gujarat Police have registered an FIR on charges of murder and attempt to murder against 10 personnel of the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) and for firing at an Indian fishing boat in the Arabian Sea off Gujarat coast.
The FIR was registered on Sunday night at Navi Bandar police station in Porbandar district, which has territorial jurisdiction beyond 12 nautical miles off the Gujarat coast, under Indian Penal Code Sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder) and 114 (abettor present when offence is committed), and relevant provisions of the Arms Act, the official said.
The dead fisherman’s body was brought to Okha on Sunday, and the FIR was registered at night in Porbandar on the basis of a complaint by Solanki, the official said. India has taken serious note of the unprovoked firing by PMSA and will take up the issue diplomatically with the Pakistan side, said official sources in Delhi.
However the Navy and Coast Guard must take such incidents seriously. The Navy must ensure 24×7 Surveillance of the maritime boundary off Gujarat Coast through a combination of drones, helicopters, aircrafts and Ships. All fishing trawlers must be asked to maintain radio contact with Coast Guard establishments located at Dwarka and Porbandar.
Any intruding PMSA vessels may be given initial warning and thereafter chased out. In case of resistance, firm action needs to be taken as per laid down protocols.
