‘Operation Sagar Kavach’ drill was conducted in the coastal districts of Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Kanniyakumari and Ramanathapuram districts on Wednesday to review the operational preparedness of the police and the armed forces at sea and coastal areas and the coordination between them in neutralising sea-based threats.
After the terrorists entered Mumbai via the porous coastline of Maharashtra in 2008 to orchestrate deadly attacks in select areas, ‘Operation Sagar Kavach’ drill is being conducted every year to review the preparedness of the police, marine police, coastal security group, Q Branch police, Central Industrial Security Force, Indian Coast Guard and the Indian Navy and the coordination among them in taking on sea-based threats.
When the mock drill was conducted in the district on Wednesday, the police, along with the marine police and the coastal security group, intensified patrolling along all 13 coastal villages of Tirunelveli district from Koottapuli to Kooduthaazhai even as the Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy ships were patrolling in the sea.
The patrol boats deployed by the marine police checked the boats fishing in the sea and the identity cards of the fishermen besides checking the registration certificates of the boats including mechanised boats.
In Thoothukudi district, the coastal security group police, led by Inspector Cyrus, detained a boat with 3 ‘terrorists’ off Tharuvaikulam coast.
“Since the size of the boat used by the ‘intruders’ is unusually small, we surrounded the boat and detained them,” said Mr. Cyrus.
Two more boats with 11 ‘terrorists’ were also nabbed off Thoothukudi coast and confiscated 3 ‘explosives’ from them.
“The detained ‘terrorists’ told the investigators that they were about to enter VOC Port and Thoothukudi town to unleash attacks on strategic points,” the police said.
The exercise will continue on Thursday also.
In Kanniyakumari district, the operation was conducted along the 48 coastal hamlets from Arockiyapuram near Kanniyakumari to Neerodi close to Kerala border.
In Ramanathapuram district, the drill commenced at 5 a.m. in Pamban and Dhanushkodi and will conclude by 5 p.m. on Thursday.
According to Marine police, about 10-12 people (intruders) came in a boat and as a part of the Kavach, the commandos intercepted them successfully and bust theicr plans.
Published - June 19, 2024 07:32 pm IST
