Indian Coast Guard Seizes Two Bangladeshi Trawlers, Arrests 35 Fishermen

Kolkata: The Indian Coast Guard on Thursday seized two Bangladeshi fishing trawlers and arrested at least 35 Bangladeshi fishermen after they were found illegally operating in Indian waters in the Bay of Bengal, police officials said.

According to the police, Coast Guard personnel detected two suspicious trawlers during routine patrolling in the Bay of Bengal on Wednesday morning. The vessels were apprehended after it was confirmed that they had crossed into Indian territorial waters.

The detained fishermen and their trawlers were later brought to the Fraserganj fishing harbour. Subsequently, the Coast Guard handed over the fishermen to the police at the Fraserganj Coastal Police Station.

Police officials said the fishermen have been arrested on charges of illegal entry into Indian waters and are currently being interrogated. They are scheduled to be produced before the Kakdwip court on Thursday afternoon.

The two seized trawlers have been identified as *Sabina-1* and *Ruposhi Sultana*. While *Sabina-1* was carrying 11 Bangladeshi fishermen, *Ruposhi Sultana* had 24 fishermen on board.

Meanwhile, the incident comes days after a Bangladesh Navy vessel allegedly entered Indian waters and collided with a fishing trawler from Kakdwip in South 24 Parganas district on December 15. In that incident, 11 Indian fishermen narrowly escaped, while five others were reported missing. The sunken trawler was recovered and brought to the Moynapara dock in Kakdwip on Thursday morning.

After water was pumped out of the vessel, the bodies of two fishermen were recovered from the engine room. The deceased were identified as Sanjib Das of Paschim Gangadharpur in Kakdwip and Ranjan Das of Durajpur in Purba Khali area of East Midnapore district. Their families have been informed.

Over the past two months, the Indian Coast Guard has apprehended several Bangladeshi trawlers for illegally crossing into Indian waters in the Bay of Bengal, leading to the arrest of a large number of fishermen. In response to these repeated incidents, surveillance in the region has been intensified, resulting in increased interceptions of such vessels.

— With inputs from IANS