At a time when the Prime Minister Narendra Modi was holding a meeting of top cops on internal security in Kutch, Pakistan Marine Security Agency (PMSA) apprehended 70 fishermen with their 11 boats off the Gujarat coast on Sunday evening.

The fishermen are from the Saurashtra region. According to fishermen association, the security agency of the neighbouring country also resorted to firing on a boat of Indian fishermen of Jakhau coast, a leading fishing harbour in Kutch.

In last three months, over 150 fishermen and more than 30 fishing trawlers have been apprehended by the PMSA near the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).

According to Manidh Lofhari of Natiknal Fisher Workers Forum (NFF), 27 fishermen with four boats were taken on October 15, while 72 fishermen and a dozen boats were held on October 2. One fisherman was killed in a firing launched by the marine police near IMBL.

In last few decades, fishermen from Gujarat have become victims of aggression by the security agency of the neighbouring country, where more than 300 fishermen from the state are still languishing in jail, and more than 800 boats seized and not released.