Mysterious Pakistani Buoy Sparks Security Alert on Maharashtra Coast

A Pakistani fishing buoy from boat 'Muqadar Boya 99' raised alarms along Maharashtra's Raigad coast. Discovered near Korlai fort, the buoy's drifting into Indian waters prompted a security alert. Reminiscent of the 26/11 attacks, it had agencies on high alert before confirming its accidental drift from Karachi.

A fishing buoy from a Pakistani boat was retrieved on Friday along the Raigad coast in Maharashtra, sparking a security alert, authorities reported.

The discovery occurred during a search operation near Korlai fort, as confirmed by an official. The Indian Coast Guard had alerted police about the boat 'Muqadar Boya 99' with MMSI-463800411, sighted near the fort. Subsequent investigations revealed that the boat remains in Karachi while its buoy, equipped with a transponder, got detached last year and drifted into Indian territorial waters.

The initial security scare had heightened due to memories of the 2008 Mumbai attacks when terrorists from Pakistan used a boat to infiltrate. This recovery, however, was confirmed to be a case of accidental drift rather than a threat.

(With inputs from agencies.)