The coast guard personnel today intercepted two more intruding Sri Lankan vessels and took their eight crew members into custody.

This is the second interception by the coast guard in the last 72 hours. So far, five Sri Lankan vessels have been seized and 21 Sri Lankans have been taken into custody on charge of sea-route infiltration.

“The arrested crew were all from fishermen community of the island nation. As they infiltrated into the prohibited Indian coastal territory without mandatory permit, it was an offence under the Maritime Zone of India Act,” said coast guard commandant Yogesh Datta.

The coast guard patrol ship — Bajra — spotted the trespassing foreign vessels while on coastal security drill. The patrol ship swiftly intercepted the Sri Lankan motorised sea-worthy vessels about 188 nautical miles off Paradip coast.

There was no show of resistance from the foreign vessels and its crew members surrendered without any resistance. The coast guard ship towed back the seized vessels and the arrested Sri Lankan fishermen to the Paradip fishing harbour.

On Tuesday, three Sri Lankan fishing vessels had been seized and 13 fishermen were arrested for committing similar offence. Those arrested on Tuesday have been remanded in jail custody under the provisions of the Maritime Zone of India Act, 1981, Section 14 of the Foreigners’ Act and Section 3 of the Passport Act.

“Crew members of the foreign vessels arrested today were taken into custody as they were not armed with mandatory permit to venture into our coastal territory. The vessels were thoroughly put through security check jointly by the customs and immigration authorities and the marine wing of state police. The arrested Sri Lankan fishermen are being interrogated by a joint investigation team. So far, nothing has emerged to insinuate that foreign nationals had linkage with any subversive activities,” coast guard commandant Datta said.

The crew and the impounded vessels were later handed over to the marine wing of state police. After further investigation, they would be produced in court on Friday.

“On October 22, 2009, six Sri Lankan fishermen were arrested for commission of similar sea-route infiltration offence. The intruders were convicted and had undergone prison term after which they were deported to their home country earlier this year,” said Shantanu Kumar Das, nodal officer, state police’s coastal security wing.

(Telegraphindia)