15 Pakistanis nabbed off Lakshadweep

KOCHI: A joint interrogation team of the navy, Coast Guard, Intelligence Bureau and Lakshadweep police is questioning 19 foreigners, including 15 Pakistani nationals, who were apprehended by an Indian naval warship off Bitra island in Lakshadweep two days ago.

There were 15 Pakistani nationals and 4 Iranians in the dhow intercepted by the warship INS Rajput during anti-piracy patrols in the Arabian Sea on Friday. The 19 foreigners are presently being questioned in Lakshadweep, top police sources in the Union Territory said.

Confirming the presence of Pakistani nationals, the sources said they had identity cards on them showing their nationalities. INS Rajput, a destroyer, was on patrol in the exclusive economic zone west of Bitra when it spotted the dhow sailing suspiciously.

The dhow with the 19 foreigners was escorted to Kavaratti in the Lakshadweep Islands and handed over to the local police late on Saturday night, the sources said. The navy’s operation came just four days after India deployed a multi-ship force in the Arabian Sea, which has been witnessing an increase in piracy in the recent weeks.