Mangaluru: Superintendent of Police of Coastal Police, who is in-charge of three districts – Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Karwar had written to Deputy Director, Fisheries in Mangaluru to submit a report about a fisherman in Mangaluru who complained about boats with strangers that was moving around Bunder fishing harbour in Mangaluru merely a few days ahead of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.
It was said that a fisherman had witnessed an unusual activity of a boat with high speed motor, anchored behind the old Port office during the night hours and gunny bags were loaded on to it. Complaints of fisherman found no action from police, officials and media.
SP Channabasappa said, though enough time has been given for the fisheries Deputy Director in Mangaluru to reply, one more reminder would be sent, before submitting the report to ADGP. This reporter had even written to the Prime Minister in this regard.
The suspicious boats, as per fishermen had no registration number on it or fishing net in it. The boats were fitted with high speed motors but normally for fishing, high speed motors is not a necessity according to the fisherman. Sufficient information and warning was given by the fisherman, of strong fear of possible threat to the country. Given the nature of information and warning, none of officials showed concern and acted in the right direction.
A renowned journalist and famous columnist in a national English daily had written after the Pathankot attack, drawing the attention of Prime Minister Modi, stating, “We have not learnt a lesson from Mumbai Terror attack, will we from Pathankot”. But if the lessons are to be learnt from Pathankot, the country has to act on all information regarding Mumbai terror attack.
But it still remains strange, why the Prime Minister’s office has not responded and why no direction has been given to the National Invetigation Agency and the Central Bureau of Investigation to look into these leads.
A complaint was received on June 22 at the PMO’s office and based on its communication, on September 2, 2015. L Shankar, Joint Commissioner of Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare, Department of Animal Husbandry, Diarying and Fisheries had written to the Principal Secretary, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Department, Government of Karnataka. It was only on January 23 this year, Principal Secretary, Government of Karnataka wrote to State Home Ministry, expressing that his department was not in a position to take action considering the nature of the complaint, and urged the State home Ministry to initiate action.
Thereafter, ADGP (Internal Security) of the government of Karnataka wrote to SP Coastal Police of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Karwar asking him to submit a report. According to SP, notices were issued by the Coastal Police Mangaluru to this reporter and Fisherman Naveen Bangera, both of who have submitted their written statements. Based on their statement, Deputy Director, Fisheries department in Mangaluru was also issued notice asking him to submit a report. When the SP was asked as to when the others named by the fisherman would be issued notice, he said that the complaint and the statements of fisherman would be looked into and notice will be issued.
Information by fisherman
The fisherman sensed fear, when he had noticed a boat anchored behind Old Port office, in Bunder which was being loaded during late night as the usual practice is that loading of boats is done during the day. Due to this odd hour activity, the fisherman grew suspicious, and rang up the then coastal police inspector Mukund Naik asking him to come with his team and check the boat being loaded. But the Coastal Police Inspector never showed up, and the fisherman had brought it to the notice of the then Old Post officer, Mohan Kudru and the then IG Western range, A.M.Prasad who is now the present ADGP, Intelligence. After failing to receive any responses from the authorities concerned, the fisherman decided to inform the media on November 17, 2008, with a fond hope, that if a news report is published, that would make the Police and the officials act in the right manner.
Though the reporter of a leading national English daily was informed during a workshop organised for fishermen on November 17, 2008, strangely the report was shelved billing it off as ‘an unfound fear of the fisherman’.
On November 26, 2008, the terror attack took place on Mumbai and 166 lives were lost. The fishermen community in Mangaluru, which has close ties with the Tinsel Town had a grim face as they keep connecting this unusual activity on Mangaluru coast to the deadly 26/11 attack.
