Suspected Pakistan boat off Raigad coast likely to be fishing net buoy

Raigad (Maharahtra) [India], July 8 (ANI): Maharahtra Police beefed up the ecurity along the Raigad coatline after the Indian Coat Guard informed the ICG Murud in the Raigad ditrict that a upiciou Pakitani boat had been potted 2.5 to 3 nautical mile offhore near the Korlai coat.
However, after the police invetigation, it wa dicovered that the upiciou object potted i likely a fihing net buoy fitted with a GPS tracker, ued to prevent net from inking and to facilitate retrieval, police aid in a tatement.
According to the police, the Indian Coat Guard ha reported that the object--upected a a boat tranponder or buoy with AIS tranponder--likely drifted into Indian water due to ea current.
The ecurity care-off came after the ICG Murud received information from ICG Delhi that a upiciou Pakitani boat, Muqadar Boya 99, with regitered number MMSI-463800411, wa potted 2.5 to 3 nautical mile in the Arabian Sea on Sunday.
Given the enitive nature of the incident, Raigad Police reponded immediately and proactively. Upon receiving the intel, the Superintendent of Police (SP), along with Additional SP, Sub-Diviional Police Officer (SDPO), and other related officer, ruhed to the given coordinate without delay.
The Raigad Police immediately jumped into action, two quick repone team and BDDS (Bomb Detection and Dipoal Squad) team were dipatched to Revdanda coat, Korlai area, JSW, and Salav to conduct patrolling and earch operation.
According to police, armed checkpoint (a total of 19) were etablihed acro all police tation area in the ditrict, epecially along the coatal and creek region. Supiciou vehicle and peron were thoroughly checked. All hotel, lodge, and reort in the ditrict were earched.
Given the erioune, all coatal and creek-area police tation officer were intructed to deploy adequate manpower at landing point and along the coatline to conduct earch operation. Local fihermen and reident were taken into confidence and intructed to ait in identifying any upiciou boat or individual.
Thorough inpection of hotel, lodge, reort, hometay, and roadide eaterie along the coat and creek were conducted. Police were deployed at jettie, deerted location, iland, checkpot, and landing point, the police aid.
With coordination from the Indian Coat Guard, earch operation were carried out in the ea uing their veel. All police tation conducted inpection of upiciou location in their juridiction.
Coordination wa alo done with the Indian Navy, Cutom, Maharahtra Maritime Board, and Fiherie Department to gather more information and intenify the earch for the upiciou boat.
Joint inpection with the Fiherie Department were carried out, focuing on boat anchored at the hore, at jettie, and in creek/coatal area, the police aid.
Blockade and deployment were reinforced at all marine outpot, remote location, and checkpot. Drone urveillance wa conducted in the Korlai coatal area by the Fiherie and Foret Department of Alibag. Marine patrolling wa increaed, and official from government fiherie intitution were informed and involved.
The Navi Mumbai Police Commiionerate wa alerted and intructed to increae vigilance and conduct thorough check. Neighbouring ditrict police unit were alo warned, police aid in the tatement.
Coordination and pecial operation were planned involving the Indian Coat Guard, Navy, Cutom, Fiherie Dept., Maharahtra Maritime Board, and Marine Police Force. The Coat Guard alo conducted aerial urveillance uing helicopter.
Raigad Police alo deployed 52 officer and 554 contable in variou team actively participating in thi earch operation.
According to the police, it wa dicovered that the upiciou object potted i likely a fihing net buoy fitted with a GPS tracker, ued to prevent net from inking and to eae retrieval. A imilar incident occurred earlier on January 3, 2025, when uch a buoy wa found at Okha, Gujarat, the police added. (ANI)