Amid the threat pondering owing to the unknown boat captivated in Maharashtra’s Raigad district, the local police on Monday, August 22, clarified that the three rifles were AK-56, which were earlier identified as AK-47.
With this, they have ruled out any terror angle. In addition, the police also seized a total of 247 bullets.
In an official statement released by the Raigad police mentioned that the yacht was 100-metre inside the sea from the shore when it was spotted. Some local people reached the yacht swimming. They found some papers, a box consisting of three AK-56 rifles and 247 rounds.
After the preliminary investigation, a case was registered by the Maharashtra ATS. Navi Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) is probing the case. Officials of the Indian Coast Guard, Intelligence Bureau, Indian Navy, and ATS had visited the spot.
It is difficult to bring the boat to the shore. A dog squad and a bomb detection squad inspected the yacht but nothing suspicious was found. There seems no terror connection, the Raigad Police added.
The 16-metre-long yacht named 'Lady Han' was found off Harihareshwar coast in Shrivardhan taluka of Raigad district on August 18.
Fadnavis had told the Legislative Assembly on August 18 that the vessel is owned by Hana Lordorgan, an Australian woman. The woman's husband James Hobert was the captain of the vessel which was going to Europe from Muscat. Around 10 am on June 26, 2022, the yacht's engine failed and the sailors called for help, the deputy CM said.
A Coast Guard official had said it is a UK-registered yacht which was sailing from Oman to Europe. It had given a distress call and people onboard were rescued by ships in the vicinity of Muscat on June 26. The official said the weapons found on board the yacht were procured from a Dubai-based Privately Contracted Armed Maritime Security (PCAMS) company.
For those unversed, the discovery of the weapons on the vessel had created a buzz as it came ahead of Dahi Handi and Ganesh festivals. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had also said no terror connection was prima facie found. However, security was beefed up in Mumbai and other neighbouring coastal districts across Maharashtra for safety measures.
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