To improve coastal surveillance, the Kerala Police are all set to increase the number of patrol boats in the coming days. The move comes in the wake of repeated inputs that Pakistan-based terror groups are planning for ‘Samundari Jihad’, targeting coastal towns and cities across the country.
“The department has called for a tender for the patrol boats. A technical committee will evaluate the tenders,” said a senior police officer. The boats will be purchased for Rs. 2 crore under the state plan scheme. Each boat with a speed of 25-30 knots can carry six persons, besides boasting of GPS-enabled maps and latest communication tools.
According to officials, the petrol-run 90 hp outboard engine boats will be extensively used for routine surveillance along coasts of main cities including Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode. The police department already has 23 interceptor boats, of which one is currently under maintenance by Cochin Shipyard Ltd.
The maintenance work was handed over to the shipyard by the government after one-third of the boats becoming non-operational due to poor upkeep. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) decided to strengthen coastal security across the country after the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attack following which the boats were pressed into action on the Kerala coast.
