New Delhi, Feb 18 (IANS) A Coast Guard official, who said he ordered that a Pakistani boat be blown up, Wednesday denied making the statement. However, an Indian Express video showed the official, saying "Blow the boat off...We don't want to serve them biryani".
Coast Guard Deputy Inspector General (DIG) B.K. Loshali Wednesday refuted media reports that said he ordered the blowing up of a suspected Pakistani boat on the intervening night of Dec 31 and Jan 1 off Porbandar in Gujarat.
Addressing a press conference in Ahmedabad, the officer said media reports quoting him as saying that he ordered that the suspected boat be blasted were wrong and not factual.
"The operation was not handled by me. I was not fully privy to it," he told reporters.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar told the media in Bengaluru that the Coast Guard issue "could be discussed later".
The Indian Express Wednesday put up the video on their website, which shows Loshali speaking at the launch ceremony of an interceptor boat in Surat Feb 16.
The little over a minute long video shows the senior Coast Guard officer saying: "I hope you remember 31st December night".
"We blew off the Pakistan...We have blown them off.
"I was there at Gandhinagar and I told at night blow the boat off...We don't want to serve them biryani".
In early January, Parrikar had said that the people of a Pakistani vessel that blew up and sank off the coast of Gujarat were "suspected terrorists" and did not appear to be smugglers.
He also confirmed that another boat was also traced but it was in international waters.
According to the defence ministry, the suspicious boat was intercepted by the Coast Guard based on an intelligence input Dec 31, and it was traced in the Arabian Sea, 365 km off Porbandar in Gujarat.
The dramatic incident was a reminder of the manner Pakistani terrorists sneaked into Mumbai in 2008.
The vessel, which had set off from near Karachi on New Year's Eve, turned into a ball of fire and sank after its occupants, believed to be four in number, set fire to it early Jan 1.
BJP beats Congress in Assam civic polls
Guwahati, Feb 12 (IANS) After the recent debacle in the Delhi assembly election, the results of polls to civic bodies in Assam came out positive for the BJP as the party Thursday won 340 of 746
Kolkata Knight Riders: Two-time champion team, which have not reached the playoffs for the last two times
The 14th season of the Indian Premier League is going to start on 9 April. Two-time champion team Kolkata Knight Riders will start their campaign against Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 11 from Chennai.
Irfan Pathan claims - many finishers came, but there is no finisher like MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni's bat did not run as much in the IPL 2019 and 2020 seasons, but in IPL 2022 he has been in amazing form. Even the former captain has finished some matches for Chennai Super Kings. For this
Tamil Nadu Floods: The Air Force came as an angel for the woman trapped in the flood, and gave birth to a child the very next day
The southern districts of Tamil Nadu are facing floods these days. Air Force and Army are engaged in relief and rescue operations. On Tuesday, the Air Force rescued a pregnant woman from the floods,
Owaisi's bet in Uttar Pradesh elections, whose game will he spoil and whose will he make?
"Yesterday Modi government said Owaisi will give you Z category security. We said that we have never taken security, nor will we ever take it ever since we entered politics.
Edible Oil: Prices of edible oil reduced by Rs 10-15 a liter, Food Secretary said – prices may decrease further now
Due to the softening of prices in the international markets and the intervention of the government, the price of edible oil has come down by Rs 10-15 per liter. Food Secretary Sudhanshu Pandey said on
Sourav Ganguly Resign News: Jay Shah rubbished the news of Sourav Ganguly's resignation
Sourav Ganguly Resign: Secretary Jay Shah has dismissed the news of Sourav Ganguly resigning as the President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India. Earlier there was news that the cricketer
Indian Economy: NSO said- the foundation of domestic GDP is strong, Finance Minister said- India is successful in dealing with inflation
Based on strong economic fundamentals, various reforms, and business activities, India remains the fastest-growing economy in the world even in the second quarter of the current financial year. This
Piyush Goyal said, India is a reliable partner of the world; One of the most attractive investment destinations in the world
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal are on a six-day visit to San Francisco and Los Angeles from Monday. During his visit to the US, Goyal laid great emphasis on India\'s stable economic
China strongest of America's enemies, we need to be held accountable: Nikki Haley
Indian-origin Nikki Haley, who is contesting the presidential election, said that China is the strongest enemy America has faced so far. China thinks that the American era has passed, but it is wrong.
