14 Pakistan fishermen apprehended by BSF in Kutch

Fourteen Pakistani fishermen and four children were apprehended from a creek area near Koteshwar Border Out Post along the Indo-Pak border and two of their fishing boats seized by BSF, an official said on Thursday.

The four children are in the age group of 8 to 15, a senior Border Security Force (BSF) official in Bhuj said. "During patrolling in the creek area, a marine battalion of BSF found two Pakistani boats fishing in Indian waters yesterday afternoon. They were spotted around 35 kms from Koteshwar Border Out Post. We have apprehended 18 fishermen and brought them to Koteshwar for further questioning," the BSF said in a statement.

While searching the mechanised boats, the BSF personnel found 350 kgs of fish, four fishing nets, an ice box and extra fuel stored in plastic cans, it said. According to the official, all the fishermen will be handed over to Dayapar police station after BSF completes its investigation.

Pakistani citizens caught along the India-Pakistan land border as well as from inside the Indian waters are then sent to Joint Interrogation Centre (JIC) in Bhuj, after police files a complaint against them for violation of Indian Passport and Visa Act, he further said.

The BSF operation came a day after the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency apprehended 10 fishermen and seized two of their boats off Gujarat coast on Tuesday, claiming that Indian fishermen crossed the International Maritime Border Line in the sea and ventured into their waters.