Date:01/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/01/stories/2008120154090400.htm

Kerala - Kollam

Rumours of vessel spread panic

Staff Reporter

Action of Marine Enforcement criticised

Hoax message triggered panic: Coast Guard
Coast Guard keeping strict vigil

KOLLAM: Rumours that a fishing boat loaded with weapons was sighted off the Kollam coast created panic in the coastal areas on Saturday.

Talking to The Hindu on Sunday, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) authorities said the ‘unwanted panic’ seemed to have been triggered by a ‘hoax message.’

Meanwhile, the State police have taken serious note of the role of the Kollam unit of the Marine Enforcement and Vigilance Wing (MEVW) in conducting search operations on boats at the Neendakara harbour and at sea. The MEVW is neither equipped nor authorised to conduct such operations, sources said.

Police sources said it was the MEVW operations on Saturday that had created panic in the coastal areas. The MEVW duty is to only to enforce the provisions of the Kerala Marine Fisheries Regulation Act, 1980.

The chain of incidents began on Saturday morning when rumours spread at the Neendakara fishing harbour that a mechanised fishing boat carrying weapons, including AK-47s and improvised explosive devices, was sailing towards the harbour. There were also rumours that an ICG ship was chasing the boat. However, when contacted, the ICG headquarters in New Delhi confirmed that no such chase was on. The information was given after making ad hoc contacts with the Kochi district unit of the ICG.

Deputy Inspector-General B.K. Loshali, Commander of the ICG Kochi district, told The Hindu on the telephone on Sunday that the entire Kerala coast was under the tight vigil of ICG ships and aircraft. He said since the ICG headquarters had made enquiries about such a boat, a ship was specifically dispatched to the Kollam waters on Saturday for surveillance but “we have not encountered any such boat in spite of special search operations.” The ship left back for Kochi on Sunday afternoon.

MEVW Deputy Superintendent of Police P.V. Raju said he learnt about the MEVW Kollam unit’s search operations only on Sunday morning. Meanwhile, responding to the State government directives in the interests of national security, an announcement was made during the Sunday morning mass service at churches that fishermen should inform the police about any vessel that aroused their suspicion.