A Sri Lankan fibre boat was found abandoned at coastal Kodiyakadu village near Manamelkudi in Pudukottai district on Tuesday. The boat bearing a registration number believed to be from Jaffna was noticed by local fishermen in the morning when they ventured for fishing. An alert was immediately sounded to the Coastal Security Group (CSG) personnel of Manamelkudi who inspected the boat and conducted inquiries.
CSG sources said the nearly 18-feet long boat was equipped with an outboard motor. The CSG personnel have launched a probe and are examining the CCTV footage from surveillance cameras in the nearby areas. The Marine Police station at Manamelkudi would register a case under section 102 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (police officer may seize any property which may be alleged or suspected to have been stolen, or which may be found under circumstances which create suspicion of the Commission of any offence). The sources further said the seized boat would be handed over to the Customs authorities as it belonged to a foreign country.
