Port Blair, Mar 04: The Indian Coast Guard on Friday late night evacuated 99 Bangladeshi and Myanmarese Nationals from Narcondum Island, a dormant volcanic Island, situated at North or Andaman and Nicobar Island Chain.
On receipt of information, from Police authorities late night on 02 March, regarding landing of 99 Bangladeshi and Myanmarese nationals at Narcondum Island, Coast Guard Ships were pressed into action.
“As per the communication received from Comdt SSN Bajpai, Chief Staff Officer (Operations) of the Coast Guard, ICGS Kanaklata Barua commanded by Comdt(JG) SC Singh and Interceptor Boat C-145 under command of Comdt (JG) SR Nagendran arrived off Narcondum at first light on 03 March and carried out swift operation and evacuated all foreign nationals stranded at Narcondum Island,” Assistant Commandant Poornima Arora, A & N Coast Guard Region informed in a press release today.
The Coast Guard ships reached Diglipur by afternoon on the same day and handed over them to the Local Police at Diglipur.
“The apprehended foreign nationals claim to be Myanmarese refugees settled in Bangladesh and whilst proceeding from coastal area of Bangladesh and Myanmar border to Malaysia in a wooden dinghy had drifted to Narcondum Island due to technical snag,” the Coast Guard PRO added.
Since last three years more than such 400 boat people have reached Andaman and Nicobar Islands, most of them are presently waiting for their repatriation at Port Blair.
Security agencies suspect that these boat people are believed to be a part of illegal International body shopping network.
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