Surveillance on the premises of Beypore Port has been strengthened against the backdrop of reports of illegal emigration attempts from Munambam in Kochi.
The coastal police have given new directives to the Coastal Vigilance Committees they constituted with the support of fishermen to keep an eye on suspicious activities taking place in the coastal areas. They have also been asked to alert the local police about suspicious movement of boats, strange persons, or a group of people from other locations.
“The frequency of beat patrol covering important areas of the coastline has been increased as the first step to track any unlawful activity though we are yet to come across any such incident,” said Krishna Prasad, Additional Sub Inspector, Beypore Coastal Police Station. He said fishermen had been made aware of the seriousness of the issue and they would instantly pass messages to the police if they come across any such movements.
At the Beypore Port, passenger details will be verified closely. In the wake of the State-level alert, the movement of dhows too will be under surveillance. Late-night journey of dhows will not be permitted.
The coastal police said arrangements were in place to intercept suspicious fishing boats and those operating without registration and other legally required documents. The monitoring of suspicious fishing boats will be carried out with the support of boat owners who are part of the Coastal Vigilance Committees, they added.
Source : https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/kozhikode/illegal-emigration-surveillance-stepped-up/article26047396.ece