Security up, but holes on Karnataka coast

Bengaluru: The  recent interception of a boat carrying explosives off the Gujarat coast by the Indian Coast Guard has raised  concerns about five  spots that are seen as vulnerable to such attacks  along the Karnataka and Goa coasts.  

Karnataka accounts for 310 kms of  the country’s 7,500 km long coastline and is also home to Sea Bird, which is currently undergoing expansion and could soon become India's largest Naval base. With the Kaiga Nuclear Plant also nearby, the coast could be a sitting duck for terror attacks, warn experts.

“One could argue that it’s far away from Pakistan but some of the boats carrying explosives could be towed by a shipping vessel going towards Sri Lanka and still attack the Karnataka coast,” says a defence expert, strongly suggesting  increased patrolling along the coast.

Others suggest setting up a full fledged counter intelligence unit to secure the coastline.  “We have only eight aircraft to guard the  7,000 km long coastline of the country.

It’s time the local police was involved in creating ground intelligence. Boats carrying contraband cannot come close to the coast without  local support and so the coast guards must monitor these areas with the help of local  or coastal police,” the experts add.

Coast guards in Mangaluru say they are on  high alert  already and patrolling has been intensified after the seizure along the Gujarat coast. “Suspicious boats are being checked. 

Though there are some vulnerable points along the state coast, insurgency could occur from any point along the country’s coast. Round the clock vigilance is the only way out to protect it,” says a senior officer of the India Coast Guard.