Boat from Porbandar suspected to be used in terror attack

Ahmedabad, Nov 28 (PTI) The boat 'Kuber' apprehended by
the Mumbai Coast Guard on the suspicion that it was used by
the terrorists to travel to Mumbai, belongs to a resident from
Porbandar in the western Indian state of Gujarat, Coast Guard
officials said.

"The boat which the Mumbai Coast Guard has found, belongs
to one Vinod Masani of Porbandar," Coast Guard Commander
Satish Chandran from Porbandar confirmed, adding,
"investigations are still on and we cannot divulge other
details."

The Porbandar Boat Association suspects that the
terrorists might have hijacked the boat to carry out their
operation.

"Terrorists might have hijacked the fishing trawler
from Jakhao area to travel to Mumbai to carry out the attacks
there," Jivan Jungi, President Porbandar Boat Association told
PTI Friday.

The boat belongs to Vinod Masani and is registered in his
brother Hiralal's name, Jungi added.

When asked about the hijacking angle to the Coast Guard
Commander, he refused to comment saying, "We are investigating
the issue."

Meanwhile, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi during
his visit to Mumbai Friday also raised the issue of use of
boats in the terror attacks.

Pakistan's marine police is confiscating Indian fishing
boats and the same are now being used in terror acts, Modi
alleged.

According to Jungi, Kuber was missing since November 13
after it was taken to the sea by five fishermen in Jhakao near
Kutch.

But Jungi was informed by the Coast Guard officials that
when they took over the boat, they only found a dead body on
it.

Jungi said the officials suspect that the body was of the
Captain of the boat, Amarsinh Solanki, who was aboard when it
went missing around 14 days back.

Other four persons, who were in the boat are still
"missing," Jungi added.

Raising concerns about the increasing threat of
terrorists on the fishermen, he said, "We are facing this
menace for very a long time as our boats are often hijacked
and fishermen arrested by the Pakistanis."

He added that the association has earlier told the
authorities that there are 382 boats of Indian fishermen which
have been taken by Pakistan authorities.

"In a letter to the Prime Minister, I had said that these
boats may be misused by Pakistanis," Jungi said.

In Porbandar, there are around 2000 big boats (50-55 ft
long) and around 3300 small boats (30-35 ft long) which are
used for fishing. PTI