Coast Guard DIG BK Loshali denies report that he ordered to blow up Pakistani 'terror' boat

NEW DELHI: The Pakistani boat incident that happened on the New Year eve off Gujarat coast blew up on the government's face on Wednesday with the security establishment scrambling for explanations after The Indian Express quoted a Coast Guard DIG as saying that it was he who had given the order to bomb the vessel.

The claim by BK Loshali, Chief of Staff (North West Region), flies in the face of the government stand that the Pakistani crew had blown the "explosive-laden boat" up themselves when surrounded by Coast Guard. Defence minister Manohar Parrikar had been reiterating this despite contrarian media reports that alluded it could have been Pakistani smugglers and not terrorists as claimed by government. The minister had said the government might come up with proof to prove its claim.

As the issue snowballed, Loshali retracted his statement, but the Coast Guard HQ served a showcause notice to him. Sources said stern action could be taken against him, including court martial. Loshali gave a written rebuttal stating the media was twisting his words. "I reiterate the boat set itself on fire and was not sunk by the Coast Guard. I have been misquoted," he said, adding: "I was not privy to whatever was happening at that ground that day." However, Express released a video shortly after Loshali's denial. "I hope you remember 31st December night, we blew off Pakistan, and we have blown them off. I was in Gandhinagar, I told at night, blow the boat off. We don't want to serve them biryani," BK Loshali is seen in the video as saying.