Navy shepherds fishermen back to Indian waters

The Indian Navy on Monday nabbed two trawlers from Porbandar while they were fishing 9 kms into Pakistani waters after crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line, about 15 kms from the fishing port of Jakhau.

The boats, with their 13 crew members, were brought to the Jakhau port in a small craft by the Navy and the fishermen were handed over to the Kutch police for further action against them.

Sources in security agencies said that normally any fisherman caught this way was brought ashore by the Coast Guard. The fact that this was done by the Navy this time indicates the seriousness with which the agency has taken the matter.

This was not a solitary case of its kind. Fishermen from Saurashtra coast very often cross over to Pakistani waters, lured by the prospects of a good catch. Last month, as many as 100 Indian fishing boats were shepherded back to Indian waters while they were fishing five to ten kms inside Pakistani waters. "Luckily for these fishermen, they were sent back to Indian waters before they were caught by the Pakistani Marine Agency that patrols their side of the international maritime boundary line," a senior official in an Indian marine security agency told this paper on Thursday. 

Sources said this was a very serious matter and the Coast Guard, which had taken up the matter with the state government several times earlier, will do so again to seek immediate concrete measures by the state government to stop the practice.

They said whenever Indian fishermen are shepherded by the Navy or the Coast guard from Pakistan waters, they take the excuse that they had inadvertently strayed into the neighbouring country's water. Often, this is a lie as many fishermen are found to be possessing GPS (global positioning system) to guide them in high sea.

The sources added that in such instances, the state government should take action both against fishermen and the boat owners.