Mumbai Coast on High Alert Amid India-Pak Tensions; 'Shoot to Kill' Orders Issued for Straying Vessels

Mumbai, May 10: Amid rising border tensions between India and Pakistan, the Indian Navy and other maritime security agencies have placed the Mumbai and Konkan coasts on high alert, issuing strict 'shoot to kill' orders for any unidentified or straying vessels entering restricted zones.

In a high-level security meeting convened this week, the Indian Navy, along with the Maharashtra state fisheries department, Coastal Police, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), and the Coast Guard, met with fishermen from the Mumbai and Konkan regions to issue advisories and reinforce coastal vigilance. The fishing community has been specifically instructed to avoid sensitive areas, including oil rigs and offshore defence installations along Maharashtra’s 877.97-km coastline.

Senior government officials confirmed that credible intelligence inputs indicate potential threats from seized Indian fishing vessels. “Some fishing boats from Gujarat, earlier seized by the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency, have been reportedly returned with fishermen aboard a single trawler. Intelligence suggests that one or more of the seized boats may be repurposed for terror operations along the Maharashtra coast, possibly equipped with rocket launchers,” said a senior bureaucrat coordinating with maritime security forces.

In response, the Navy and coastal authorities have issued real-time security alerts to their personnel, activating both kinetic and non-kinetic threat neutralisation protocols under the established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

Security officials have urged the fishing community to serve as the "eyes and ears" of the nation at sea. Fishermen are instructed to report any suspicious vessel or activity immediately to authorities. “Increased surveillance and inter-agency coordination are being enforced. All GPS devices on fishing boats are being verified as part of ongoing safety measures,” a senior police official said.

This enhanced alert status comes against the backdrop of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, where terrorists exploited a hijacked Indian fishing boat to infiltrate the city. Authorities are determined to prevent any repeat of such infiltration.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis chaired a high-level internal security review on Friday, assuring that “whatever steps are required under the ‘war book’ are being executed.” He affirmed that the state is in "full alert mode" and standard operating procedures will be strictly followed to safeguard national security.