Kolkata, 20 January (H.S.): The Indian Coast Guard arrested 24 Bangladeshi fishermen for allegedly violating the international maritime boundary and entering Indian waters in the Bay of Bengal off the coast of South 24 Parganas district in West Bengal. They were later handed over to the coastal branch of West Bengal Police.

During questioning, the fishermen claimed that they had inadvertently entered Indian waters due to dense fog. However, police sources said that further questioning is underway to determine whether the intrusion was accidental or if there was any other motive behind it. The arrested fishermen were also unable to produce any valid identification documents.

A district police officer said that all of them have been arrested for illegally crossing the international maritime boundary and entering Indian waters. They will be produced before the district court today (Tuesday).

Notably, in recent months, the Indian Coast Guard has detained more than 100 Bangladeshi fishermen for allegedly illegally entering Indian waters. Some of them were later released, while the cases of others are ongoing in the Kakdwip court in South 24 Parganas district.

Earlier, on December 18, 35 Bangladeshi fishermen were arrested and their two trawlers were seized. On December 15, 11 fishermen narrowly escaped when their trawler from Kakdwip collided with a Bangladeshi naval vessel while entering Indian waters, while five others went missing. On Monday, the sunken trawler was brought to the Moynapara ghat in Kakdwip.

In view of the political turmoil in neighboring Bangladesh since last year, surveillance and vigilance have been increased by the Indian Coast Guard and the coastal unit of the state police in the international maritime border areas of West Bengal, including South 24 Parganas district.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey