Security tightened in Gujarat following coast guard interception

Coast guard, BSF and Gujarat police maintaining high vigil

The security has been beefed up in Gujarat after the Indian Coast Guard intercepted an explosive-laden Pakistani fishing boat in the Arabian Sea off the Porbandar coast.

Following the incident, the state authorities have sounded a high alert in the state. Indian Coast Guard and Border Security Force (BSF) along with the Gujarat Police are maintaining high vigil after the incident.

As per reports, Gujarat Police is already on alert in view of events like 'Pravasi Bharatiya Divas' and 'Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors Summit' that are scheduled to be held in coming week.

A possible terror attack was averted by the timely intervention of the Indian Coast Guard, when it intercepted a suspicious fishing boat carrying explosives in the Arabian Sea, near the India-Pakistan maritime boundary which lies approximately 365 kilometres away from Porbander.

Earlier, a statement by the Ministry of Defence said that as per intelligence inputs received on December 31, a fishing boat from Keti Bunder near Karachi was planning some illicit transaction in the Arabian Sea. Based on the input, a Coast Guard Dornier aircraft undertook a sea-air coordinated search and located the suspect vessel.

According to the statement, on being warned, the boat increased its speed and attempted to flee the maritime boundary and was set on fire, which resulted in an explosion. Ultimately, the boat burnt and sank in the early hours of January 1. The people on board could not be saved and the material could not be recovered.