Kolkata, 16 November (IANS). The Indian Coast Guard detained a Bangladeshi trawler with 29 fishermen on board in Kolkata on Sunday.
All the fishermen were handed over to the police after being detained by the Indian Coast Guard.
Kolkata Police has arrested the fishermen for entering Indian waters.
According to police sources, the Indian Coast Guard spotted a suspicious trawler while patrolling in the Bay of Bengal. After this, the Coast Guard reached the trawler and found that it had come from Bangladesh after violating the international waters. There were 29 fishermen aboard the trawler, who were soon taken into custody.
Later, the Indian Coast Guard handed over the Bangladeshi fishermen to Fraserganj Coast Police Station in South 24 Parganas district. Police officials have started investigating how the fishermen entered Indian waters.
The accused will be produced before the Kakdwip Sub-Divisional Court on Monday, where the police will seek their custody for further questioning.
Recently an undertrial Indian fisherman died mysteriously in a Bangladeshi jail. In such a situation, security was further tightened in the coastal areas, as a result of which the Bangladeshi trawler was seized.
Kakdwip Fishermen’s Association Secretary Satinath Patra said, “A Bangladeshi fishing trawler violated Indian territorial waters and entered this country. The matter came to the notice of the Indian Coast Guard. Subsequently, the Coast Guard detained the trawler along with 29 fishermen and handed them over to the Fraserganj coast police station. The police are investigating the matter.”
Earlier, in September, a trawler carrying 13 Bangladeshi fishermen was detained by the Indian Coast Guard. Later, the police arrested the fishermen. Since then, maritime patrols have been increased and surveillance has been increased.
–IANS
PSK