Indian Navy handed over 35 Somalian pirates to Mumbai police

The 35 pirates nabbed by the Indian Navy last week during their anti-piracy operations were brought to Mumbai on Saturday morning and handed over to Mumbai police. Officials from Mumbai police confirmed that they will be taking them in their custody and will register a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, Maritime Anti Piracy Act and the Arms Act.Defence officials had earlier said that as part of the operation, INS Kolkata was deployed in the Arabian Sea. and after sustained high-tempo operations lasting for over 40 hours she intercepted a pirate ship MV Ruen on March 16, which was hijacked in December 2023, and was under the control of Somalian pirates.

#WATCH | Maharashtra | 35 Somalian pirates handed over to Mumbai Police after due formalities of Customs and Immigration. The pirates were captured by Indian Navy’s INS Kolkata after an Anti Piracy operation on 16th March.

Visuals from Naval Dockyard, Mumbai. pic.twitter.com/026aup7Udc

— ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2024

In an operation lasting over 40 hours that commenced in the early hours of March 15, INS Kolkata intercepted Pirate Ship ex-MV Ruen in the Arabian Sea based on inputs received by Indian Navy's Information Fusion Centre -Indian Ocean Region from UKMTO (United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations).The ship was being used as a Mother Ship for undertaking piracy attacks and hijacking of merchantmen, it said.