Staff Correspondent
Port Blair, July 29: The Immigration Department of Andaman and Nicobar Police have shifted five adrift Sri Lankan Fishermen to Distress Camp of Port Blair city.
According to information received here nearly one week back some forest officials of Andaman and Nicobar Islands have found five distressed Sri Lankan Fishermen from Rut Land Island of South Andaman, who reached the Padauk Tikry area of Rut Land Island in their broke down fishing boat, after drifting in sea for more than one month.
Presence of five suspicious foreign nationals in South Andaman region had raised many eyebrows as a few weeks back the Intelligence Bureau had sounded a coastal intrusion threat for A & N Islands, following which security forces were kept in high alert.
“We carried out joint interrogation by all the security agencies include IB, RAW, CID, Police, Army and Navy intelligence and after the joint interrogation it was found that due to some mechanical faults their fishing boat had drifted towards Andamans and grounded near Rut Island. After grounding the boat suffered much damages due to rough waves,” a highly placed source from intelligence, based in Andaman, told ‘Andaman Sheekha’ today on the condition of anonymity.
According to sources, to confirm the story of fishing boat capsize, police and coast guard teams were sent to trace out the wrecked fishing boat, which was reportedly later traced after a couple of days from Padauk Tikry area. The boat was first located by a Coast Guard Helicopter and the pilots of the helicopters had brought the High Frequency Transmitter, GPS System and Compass as to check possible misuse of those equipment by anti-social elements.
“No they haven’t sent to Jail. At present they have been kept in the Distress Camp of Brookshabad village of Port Blair city. Once their identity is verified from concerned Ministry, they will be repatriated to their country,” he added.
