On September 7, the Marine and Police Wing of the Customs spotted “unfamiliar boat movement” near Mora. On September 7, the Marine and Police Wing of the Customs spotted “unfamiliar boat movement” near Mora.

Maharashtra is probing whether an unidentified boat intercepted by Customs near Mora in Raigad on September 7 was linked in any manner to the sighting of “suspicious men” by two schoolchildren in Uran Thursday that triggered an alert along the state coastline.

Additional Chief Secretary (Home) K P Bakshi said a probe is underway to ascertain whether Thursday’s incident has anything to do with the boat that was intercepted.

“We are verifying if there is a connection between the two developments,” Bakshi said.

On September 7, the Marine and Police Wing of the Customs spotted “unfamiliar boat movement” near Mora. A Customs patrol gave chase. It even involved the local police after the boat entered shallow waters. The boat was captured but those on board had escaped. It was towed to the Mallet Bunder in Mumbai. The unregistered boat had in-built undertanks.

Following the alert Thursday, Bakshi said that checks had been intensified on all roads leading out of Navi Mumbai. He rejected criticism that the government machinery and security agencies had been late in responding to the threat alert. “This is untrue. The Navi Mumbai police commissioner was alerted almost immediately after initial inputs were received between 7 am and 8 am,” Bakshi said.

The government has sought a detailed report from Maharashtra Director General of Police Satish Mathur on the perceived threat and combing operations. The report is expected to be submitted by Friday morning.

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