Pak-bound vessel with arms detained in Bengal

A Karachi-bound cargo vessel from Bangladesh with heavy military supplies, including explosives, was on Friday detained by the police at Diamond Harbour in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district, top police officials said.

Director General of Police Bhupinder Singh said, "It is a consignment of heavy military supplies meant for a consignee in Karachi. Five tonnes of explosives and a huge quantity of arms and ammunition were found after the police detained the vessel."

Describing the incident as 'alarming', he said, "It's surprising why the Pakistani-bound vessel was passing through Indian waters."

Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) S Karpurakayastha said the arms and ammunition were seized from two large containers on board the ship which had set sail from Chittagong in Bangladesh and was registered in Liberia.

"The ship was detained after an intelligence tip-off," he said.

The DGP said a police team was searching the vessel and Coast Guard and Navy personnel had cordoned it off.

"The police, Coast Guard and Navy are searching the ship and verifying documents," police sources said.

Rocket launchers and anti-aircraft guns were found on board, said sources.

"The men on board are being interrogated," the DGP said.