9 Pakistani Fishermen Held In Creek Area In Gujarat

NEW DELHI:  Border Security Force or BSF today apprehended nine Pakistani fishermen after their boat entered a creek area in Gujarat along the Indo-Pak International Border (IB) near Bhuj. BSF personnel on-board a fast interceptor boat noticed an engine-fitted wooden fishing boat which had ventured into the Indian waters around 10:00 AM, a senior BSF official said. The force personnel challenged the fishermen and caught them at Chouhan Nala near G-43 pillar, the official said. Security agencies are interrogating the fishermen and their Pakistan counterparts will be informed so that if there is nothing suspicious they can be handed back to the other side, the official said. Nothing objectionable had been recovered from the nine fishermen except some fishing equipment, jericans of fuel and crabs, sources said. The Inspector General of Gujarat Frontier of BSF, Ajay Tomar, said, "Our patrolling party detained them as soon as they entered the Indian waters near Padala creek. Nothing suspicious has been found from them. Indian fishermen are also prohibited from entering the creek area because of its strategic location." On Sunday, the Indian Coast Guard had captured a Pakistani fishing boat with nine crew members off Gujarat cost near Porbandar. The capture came amid high alert sounded across land and sea borders with Pakistan following the surgical strikes by the Indian Army across Line of Control. In May this year, BSF had apprehended 18 Pakistani fishermen from the creek area near Koteshwar Border Out Post (BOP) and seized two mechanised fishing boats. Many times, BSF has also found fishing boats abandoned by Pakistani fishermen in the Indian waters while fleeing after spotting the BSF patrol boats Source: NDTV