Indian Coast Guard seizes three Sri Lankan boats carrying narcotics near Lakshwadeep

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) ship 'Varaha' on Sunday seized three Sri Lankan fishing boats with narcotic onboard. As per the statement issued by the Defence spokesperson, the boats were sighted by the ICG while patrolling near the Lakshwadeep Islands, at around 9 am on March 5. 

The statement read, "Our preliminary investigation has revealed that the boats were using unauthorised communication equipment and were carrying narcotics on board." 

"The boats have been identified as Akarsha Duwa, Chathu Rani 3 and Chathu Rani 8. Akash Duwa and Chathu Rani 3 had six crew members each on board while Chathu Rani 8 had 7 crew members on board," it added. 

When the boats were brought to the Vizhinjam harbour for rummaging and detailed joint interrogation by the concerned security agencies, the crew of Akarsha Duwa agreed that they had received around 200kg of heroin and 60 kg hashish from a Pakistani boat, 400 NM away west of Lakshwadeep Islands. 

"All the drugs were thrown overboard after sighting the ICG ship,' the crew added. 

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Collision between Indian fishermans' boat and SL's navy vessel 

In January, the Sri Lankan navy had claimed that an Indian fishing boat had crossed the International border, and it was seized as part of a patrol operation to catch Indian fishermen crossing the maritime boundary. One of the boats sank after colliding with the Sri Lankan Navy's Fast Attack Craft. 

Following the recovery of the body, there began protests in Tamil Nadu, where over 200 fishermen in Padukottai demanded compensation for the deaths from Sri Lanka and appealed for an autopsy to be conducted in the homeland. 

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India had summoned the acting high commissioner of Sri Lanka to strongly protest against the death of the fishermen and a Sri Lankan naval as a result of the collision between their boat and the country's navy vessel. 

"We are shocked at the unfortunate loss of lives of three India fishermen and one Sri Lankan national following a collision between their vessel and a Sri Lankan naval craft," read a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs. 

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(Inputs from ANI)