A patrolling team of Mumbai Police intercepted a boat from Kuwait in the Arabian Sea near the Gateway of India on Tuesday evening. The police launched a probe after intercepting the boat with three people on board, an official said.
Nothing suspicious was found on the boat, according to news agency PTI.
Three individuals, identified as Antony, Nidiso Dito and Vijay Antony, are natives of Tamil Nadu's Kanyakumari district. They are currently in police custody at Colaba police station. No FIR has been filed yet.
Currently, the stolen Kuwaiti boat is safely docked at the Gateway of India, the official said, adding that authorities were investigating the circumstances surrounding its entry into Indian waters through the Arabian Sea.
According to the detainees, the trio worked for a fishing company and allegedly faced torture and exploitation by their employer. Citing non-payment of dues and salary, along with harsh working conditions, they claimed to have stolen the boat from its owner.
"They have been sailing non-stop for 12 days. When we saw them, they hadn't eaten in three to four days as they ran out of ration. We have not found anything suspicious yet, but the boat has been safely taken away near the Taj Hotel,"
Meanwhile, the incident has triggered concerns about lapses in maritime security.
Notably, ten Pakistani terrorists who launched the terror strikes in Mumbai in November 2008 had arrived from the sea route.
