Mangalore, July 6: A community interaction meeting organized by the Indian Coast Guard and Coastal Security Police at Ullal near here on Tuesday urged local fishermen to be aware of their surroundings on high seas and report any suspicious movement of external fishing vessels to notice of authorities concerned. The two security units have organized similar meetings at Karwar, Bhatkal, Honnavar, old port at Bunder here and next one would be held at Malpe.
Commandant R K Sharma, executive officer, Coast Guard district headquarters, Panambur described fishermen as eyes and ears of the two security units. Such interaction meetings are to sensitize the fishermen about the new dimension to internal security that can come from high seas as seen in the aftermath of 26/11 attacks, he said, adding that information from fishermen about suspicious movement on vessels high seas can be of value to authorities.
Mukund Naik, police inspector, Coastal Security Police, said local fishermen were the best persons to identify local and external fishing vessels and even foreign fishing vessels. He said information about such fishing vessels not belonging to the state, presence of which in the region gives rise to suspicion, if passed on in time to the authorities will enable them to check out the antecedents of such vessels and take necessary steps from the security viewpoint.
Commandant K L Arun, captain of ICGS Kasturba Gandhi advised fishermen to venture out in groups while undertaking fishing expedition. Specific and not general information about location of suspicious vessels is of great use to the authorities, he said, advising fishermen to keep original documents pertaining to their vessels on hand at all times. National security is a matter of concern for all and not merely the duty of security agencies, he explained.
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