Fishy case of arrested ‘fishermen’, now they say they’re Burmese

Arrests of citizens of Pakistan and Bangladesh in Indian sea territory off Gujarat coast are routine, but now for the first time the Indian Coast Guards have caught Burmese residents from Pakistani fishing boat.

According to the sources, Indian Coast Guard’s Mirabai ship had arrested seven foreign persons aboard Pakistani fishing boat in Indian sea area last week. The boat ‘Al Iqrar’ had left Karachi port on 21 February. Those nabbed were taken to Okha port and handed over to local marine police. While two had marks of bullet injury on their back, other two had marks of sharp weapon injuries on body. During primary investigation, their statements were also found conflicting.

Now the detail is coming out that those arrested said they were originally from Myanmar. One Ismail told police that marks of bullet injury on his body were due to clash in Karachi mosque three years back. Two other ‘fishermen’ Shahbad and Mohammad Naim said they had hurt self with sharp weapon due to failure in love affair some time back. Four out of seven fishermen don’t posses identity card of any kind.