'Terror' boat: One crew member should have been caught alive, says Gujarat Congress

Ahmedabad: A top Gujarat Congress leader on Saturday said it would have been better if at least one of the occupants of the “terror” boat had been captured alive even as he alleged loopholes in the State’s coastal security.

A Pakistani fishing boat said to be carrying explosives was intercepted by the Indian Coast Guard off the Gujarat coast, but the vessel exploded and caught fire before sinking along with four occupants on 31 December night.

“We had caught a 26/11 terrorist (Ajmal Kasab) alive during the operation. It would have been better if at least one of the boat occupants had been caught alive.

“India then could have told the world their handlers belonged to Pakistan,” said Shaktisinh Gohil, Congress MLA and former Leader of Opposition in Gujarat Assembly.

About the circumstances under which the suspected Pakistani boat caught fire and exploded, he said “only time will tell what was the exact reason.”

The Congress leader alleged that the BJP Government in Gujarat has not taken adequate measures to provide foolproof coastal security.

“A CAG report in 2013 observed that coastal security measures have not been fully implemented in Gujarat, which has the longest sea coast in the country.”

The BJP Government has also failed to fully utilise funds meant for buying speed boats for deployment along the maritime border with Pakistan, Gohil said, and recalled the boat used in the 26/11 terror attack was from Porbandar.

PTI