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Around “20 to 25” personnel of the Pakistan Marine Security Agency (PMSA) were booked late Saturday for attempt to murder and kidnap of six Indian fishermen off Jakhau coast in Kutch district of Gujarat on October 6. The FIR was filed after the leader of the fishermen group claimed that the PMSA rocked their boat and threatened them at gunpoint.
The second FIR against PMSA by the Gujarat police in less than a year comes a day after the agency claimed that it had rescued six Indian fishermen who were drowning in the Arabian Sea.
According to the complaint filed by Amarshi Bamaniya, tandel or captain of fishing trawler Harsidhhi, a group of six fishermen were fishing 45 nautical miles off Jakhau coast around 5 am on October 6 when a Pakistan Navy boat with 20
to 25 personnel approached them.
“After spotting it (the PMSA boat), we diverted our boat and started leaving… However, the Pakistan Navy boat chased us and hit our boat from behind… they fired 20 to 25 rounds on our boat,” the FIR quotes 34-year-old Amarshi as having stated, adding one of the fishermen, Prem Baraiya, fell off the boat.
“The Pakistan boat again hit our boat, breaking our boat into two. Personnel of the Pakistan Navy boarded our boat, started punching and kicking us… Later, they forced us to board a Pakistan Navy boat,” the FIR quotes Amarshi, a resident of the Union Territory of Diu, off Una coast.
According to the FIR, besides Amarshi, three other fishermen from Diu and four from Gir Somnath district of Gujarat were on board Harsidhhi, a fishing trawler owned by Hiruben Hodal of Mangrol in Junagadh district and operating from Okha in Devbhumi Dwarka. The fishermen had set sail on October 1.
The tandel added that PMSA personnel again beat them up on board their boat and Mahendra Makwana started bleeding from his head. When an Indian Coast Guard (ICG) vessel arrived after rescuing Prem Baraiya, the PMSA personnel forced three fishermen to give a statement in front of camera at gunpoint, Amarshi added.
The FIR came hours after PMSA tweeted, “During routine patrolling in Eastern maritime region, PMSA ship rescued 6 #Indian fishermen who were drowning close to Int’l Maritime Boundary Line b/w IND & PAK. Nakwa reported that their boat sank as a result of the accident & they drifted towards Pakistani waters… PMSA Ship provided first aid & food to fishermen… Later, the rescued fishermen were handed over to ICG ship…”
In one the videos posted by PMSA, one of the Indian fishermen is heard stating that their boat had developed a hole and that they were rescued by PMSA. In another PMSA video, an ICG personnel is heard thanking the PMSA for rescuing the Indian fishermen.
The rescued fishermen were brought to Jakhau coast and based on Amarshi’s complaint, Navi Bandar Marine police booked PMSA personnel under IPC Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 365 (kidnapping), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 323 (voluntarily causing
hurt), 506(1) (criminal intimidation) and 114 (common intension).
“Pakistan agencies deny such incidents every time. As per statements of the fishermen, their boat sank after being attacked by the PMSA… They were rescued by the Indian Coast Guard. Further investigation is on,” said Surjeet Mahedu, deputy superintendent of police of Porbandar rural division.
In November 2021, 10 PMSA personnel were booked for murder after they allegedly fired on an Indian fishing boat, killing Shreedhar Chamre, a fisherman from Maharashtra, off Jakhau coast.
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