Maharashtra: Terror attack foiled? Australian boat with weapons found ahead of festival

The District police has been on the recovery spot and the Maharashtra Police has sounded a high alert in the district.

The boat has been found a day ahead of the 'Dahi Handi' festival and 10 days ahead of Maharashtra's biggest festival-Ganesh Chaturthi.

"The boat's engine broke down in the sea, and its crew was rescued by a Korean boat. The boat in a half-broken condition came towards the Konkan coast due to high tide. It reached the Harihareshwar beach. Keeping in mind the coming festive season, police and administration have been instructed to be prepared," Fadnavis said.

Three AK 47 rifles were found on the boat, Fadnavis confirmed.

He said that Central agencies have been informed and asserted that there was no possibility of taking the incident lightly.

The ATS has taken up the case and also working on it. If the situation demands, additional forces will also be deployed, he said.

All the precautions needed to be taken as per the norms of abandoned caution situations have been taken, Fadnavis told the reporters.

However, Fadnavis iterated that no terror links have been ascertained so far and the boat just drifted to Harhareshwar shore.

"There is no confirmation of any terror angle so far. The boat has just drifted here. We are not ruling out anything, investigating all aspects. Police have been asked to be on high alert," he stated.

Raigad MLA, Aditi Tatkare earlier said that she has asked Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to order a special probe in the matter and pointed out that a lot of people visit that place during the two festivals widely celebrated across Maharashtra.

The boat was spotted by some locals at around 190 km from Mumbai, floating by itself with no crew members, and alerted security agencies.

Earlier, SP Raigad Ashok Dhudhe had also confirmed that AK 47 was found in the suspicious boat.