Port Blair, Dec. 20: TheIndian Coast Guard, Navy and Police team jointly nabbed a total of 145 Myanmarese nationals during 15-17 Dec 12.  On 16th Dec 12, ten Myanmarese were captured from East Island by Police and Naval team and a boat with large numbers of people onboard was sighted moving in southerly direction. 

Immediately the Headquarters Andaman & Nicobar Command launched operation “KHOJ”, and     Coast Guard ship Durgabai Deshmukh and Dorniers were pressed into action in search of the boat. The 10 Myanmarese national were subsequently evacuated by the Coast Guard Interceptor boat C-145.

During initial interrogation of tem Myanmarese it was revealed that they were part of a large group, which left from Dabang, Myanmar on 9th Dec 12 for Malaysia/ Thailand in search of better life and job opportunities. It was also learnt that members had paid approx 1-2 lakh Myanmarese currency to the boat owner for the journey.

The wooden boat had very limited food provisions and no life saving gear. The boat encountered rough weather enroute and they volunteered to get disembarked from the boat due to fear of drowning. While the search for the boat was in progress in the North Andaman, on 17th Dec 12 at 1030 hrs, the Police team nabbed another 68 Myanmarese nationals including one lady and 11 children onboard a black and white coloured boat from Butler Bay Beach in Little Andaman.  These Myanmarese nationals informed that they were also proceeding to some country in search of better life and job opportunities. 

On same day at 1245 hrs Naval Chetak engaged in search of boat in North Andaman, reported sighting of a wooden boat near Flat Island. On receipt of the information Coast Guard Dornier, INS Bangaram and PMF boats were immediately pressed into action. The Coast Guard aircraft sighted a black coloured boat in the Middle Strait.  The position of the boat was passed by the CG Dornier aircraft to Police through DSS vessel Pillow Panja. The Police team successfully captured the 67 Myanmarese nationals including 05 women and 06 children at 1550 hrs on 17th Dec 12.