Visakhapatnam, Nov 30 (IANS) Thirteen fishermen from Bangladesh were taken into custody by the marine police in Andhra Pradesh’s Srikakulam district on Sunday.

The fishermen reached Musavanipeta of Etcherla mandal of the district after they were stranded at sea and ran out of fuel and food in the boat.

According to the marine police, the boat reportedly drifted towards the West Bengal and Odisha coasts and later reached the Srikakulam coast.

Local fishermen informed the marine police after they spotted the boat at sea and found the movement of those on the boat suspicious. Marine police Circle Inspector P. Prasada Rao and local Sub-Inspector G. Lakshman Rao, along with the staff, rushed to the coast.

Three boats were pressed into service to bring the boat and its occupants to the shore. Based on their language and attire, they were identified as Bangladeshi.

The police took them into custody and questioned them. As the Bangladeshi fishermen were starving and scared, they had difficulty communicating with the police officials. Some local fishermen, who knew little Bangla, spoke to them and gathered information.

The Bangladeshi fishermen said they lost their way while fishing in Bangladeshi waters and drifted towards the Indian coast.

The fishermen said they had been starving for the past 15 days. The locals offered them food and medicine.

They were shifted to the Kalingapatnam Police Station. Marine police said that since they entered Indian waters without any permission, a case will be registered against them as per the law.

The police said they would inform the Bangladesh Coast Guard about the fishermen’s entry into Indian waters.

According to police, a similar incident had occurred in 2008 when a group of Bangladeshi fishermen had drifted into the Indian waters and reached Etcherla. They were later handed to Bangladeshi authorities after completing the legal formalities.

–IANS

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