Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka, Feb 23: The Indian Navy has initiated an investigation into reports of large fishing vessels bearing Chinese flags allegedly entering Indian territorial waters in the Arabian Sea near the Karnataka coastal region, according to sources on Friday.
The incident, which surfaced three days ago, has prompted the Indian Navy to probe further.
Concerns arose after two videos circulated on social media platforms in coastal districts, revealing the presence of Chinese fishing boats. One video, lasting 43 seconds, captures a massive vessel adorned with two Chinese flags and marked with ‘BVKY 5,’ navigating through Indian territorial waters during daylight. Local fishermen, speaking in Malayalam and Tulu languages, filmed the encounter with the Chinese boat.
Another video, recorded at night, displays the lights of Chinese vessels purportedly engaged in fishing within Indian territorial waters. The 51-second clip reveals over 11 vessels equipped with golden LED lights fishing in the Arabian Sea. The use of LED lights for fishing was banned by the Indian government in 2017. Fishermen, speaking in Tulu and Kannada, can be heard identifying all the boats as Chinese.
Concerned by these alleged intrusions, Karnataka fishermen have urged the Indian Coast Guard and the Navy to investigate the matter thoroughly.
Although a naval inquiry has been initiated, official statements from authorities regarding the incident are pending.
