The Paradip Coast Guard on Wednesday seized a Sri lanka-bound mechanised fishing vessel from the Indian waters of the Bay of Bengal and apprehended five of its crew members for infringing on the Maritime Zone of Indian (Regulation etc) Act, 1981. This was informed by Deputy Commandant (Operation), Paradip Coast Guard, JV Paul.
Paul said that the lankan vessel was intercepted about 170 nautical miles off the Paradip coast and the crew members were arrested from the vessel ‘Four Runner’ belonging to the Island nation. The apprehended Sri lankan fishermen were identified as Dammka, KB Madushan, SB Buddika, P Dillip and AG Paraneeth, he added.
According to official sources, the Coast Guard personnel during their security patrolling found the Sri lankan vessel catching fish illegally in the Bay of Bengal.They detained the fishermen and seized the vessel containing two tonnes of ice-laden fish catch and two quintals of fresh fishes.
later, the Coast Guard personnel handed over the five apprehended fishermen to the Marine police station of Paradip to arrest them and produce them before a local court for their offence, said Paul.