11 February,2011 06:27 AM IST | | Sayed Roshan
Says he wants to visit every city in the country, after being captured by Indian Navy and Coast Guard on Sunday
The pirate loves the country he is being held captive in.
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One of the Somalian brigands, caught in the second anti-piracy strike by Indian Navy and Coast Guard off Lakshadweep islands last Sunday, says he hopes to fulfil just one dream after his release: tour India.
The Somalian pirates with hands and legs tied together were handed over to the Yellow Gate police yesterday. Besides weapons, the Coast Guard also found several DVDs of Bollywood movies from them
"I love India," he said, in broken English. He was one of the 28 pirates aboard Prantalay-11, the mother ship in a fleet of three Thai fishing trawlers that had been hijacked in April last year.
"I have seen India on television and have started loving it. I want to visit every Indian city," the pirate said, hands and legs tied together. Before further questions could be asked, the Coast Guard officials took him away.
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Among the articles seized from the pirates, other than weaponry, officials found several DVDs of Bollywood films. Most of them were action movies.
The operation
The sea bandits were brought to Mumbai last night aboard ICGS Samar and INS Tir, and handed over to the Yellow Gate police.
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A Dornier aircraft, which was launched in armed configuration, had spotted the mother ship pirates were using for the past nine months on Sunday.
About the operation, Inspector General of Coast Guard SPS Basra said that there was cross firing when their ships lay siege to the hijacked fishing trawler.
"During the exchange of fire, three pirates sustained injuries and one of them was in a critical condition.
Immediate medical attention was provided by the doctor on board Samar and they are stable now," said Basra.
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"At the time of interception, just prior to surrendering, they threw their weapons overboard, which included 19 AK-47 rifles, two pistols, a rocket launcher and a shoulder launcher," he added.
Basra also said that three pirate attack groups are still active outside Indian waters.
"Position of piracy attack groups, to the extent feasible, is being closely monitored by various authorities," Basra said.
Strike one
In their first strike on January 28, the Navy and Coast Guard had sunk Prantalay-14 some 200 nautical miles off Kochi. They had arrested 12 Somalis, two Ethiopians and a Kenyan.
