NEW DELHI, May 6: An unclaimed Pakistani fishing boat recovered in the creek region of Kutch has put security agencies on alert as the vessel was detected during a routine patrol by the Border Security Force (BSF) on Wednesday. Following this, security presence in the area has been intensified.
During the initial examination, BSF teams found fishing equipment onboard, and no suspicious items were discovered so far. However, considering recent incidents of drug packets washing ashore in the region, agencies are treating the matter with seriousness, officials said. While Indian fishermen are barred from entering the creek area of the Arabian Sea, Pakistani fishermen enter the Indian side to catch fish. Many times, such fishermen escape towards the Pakistan side after abandoning their boats when they spot the BSF patrols.
After the boat was found, surveillance across the coastal and creek belt of Kutch was strengthened. Security personnel are maintaining round-the-clock patrolling and closely monitoring every movement to prevent any intrusion or illegal activity. Earlier this year in January 2026, the Indian Coast Guard had seized another Pakistani fishing boat from the Arabian Sea. The vessel was intercepted near the International Maritime Boundary Line.
During that operation in January, the boat attempted to flee towards Pakistan when challenged by the Coast Guard. A patrol vessel chased and intercepted it within Indian waters. Nine Pakistani crew members onboard were detained and brought to Porbandar. According to sources, the crew panicked and tried to escape under the cover of darkness, but the alert response by Coast Guard teams prevented their getaway. Investigating agencies are now trying to determine how the newly recovered boat drifted into the creek area, officials added.
(Manas Dasgupta)