Unidentified boats off M'lore shore; Police detain 9 other boats without valid documents

Mangalore, November 17: The Coastal Security Police with the help from local fishermen leaders have taken into custody 9 boats that were operating off Mangalore shores without any valid documents on Wednesday evening.

Based on the complaint by fishermen leaders Naveen Bangera, Mohan Bengre and Karnataka Fisheries Development Corporation Nithin Kumar among others that a few unidentified boats were found in the deep sea and that these boats did not have fishing nets and accompanied with mini-boats with outward engine (that act as speed boat), the coastal security police decided to launch an operation to check the same.

The complaint gains significance as Deputy Commissioner Dr N?S?Channappa Gowda had recently appealed fishermen to inform the authorities concerned that if they found any 'foreign' boat in coastal region, they should inform the police as well as district administration.

Naveen Bangera said that the local fishermen had sighted a couple of boats without registration numbers and also without fishing nets in deep sea two days ago. The boats were also accompanied with mini-boats with outward engines that can ply at a speed of about 30 km per hour as against the normal boats which ply at about 10 to 15 km per hour, he informed.

9 boats detained

Though the Coastal Security Police left the shore in search of those suspicious boats, they found 9 other boats, also without registration numbers.

Coastal Security Police Inspector Mukund Nayak said that the boats that were found without valid documents and brought to shore were not local boats. At the same time, these 9 boats have nothing to do with the other boats which the fishermen leaders sighted in deep sea. “Our jurisdiction is only 5 nautical miles.

Hence, we cannot go into deep sea to check any boats moving in a suspicious manner,” he said and added that he would bring the same to the notice of the Coast Guards, who guard the shores in deep sea. He also said that he is yet to inform the Coast Guards.

Terror activities?

Referring to the Mumbai attack on November 26, 2008, fishermen leader Naveen Bangera said that the local fishermen had sighted unidentified speed boats on November 17, 2008, exactly 9 days before the Mumbai attack.

“Though we brought the same to the notice of the district administration as well as the police department including the Coastal Security Police, nobody took us seriously.

However, we were very sad when we heard of Mumbai terror attack within a few days on November 26, 2008,” he said and added that though he is not sure of the link between the unidentified speed boats found at the deep sea and the Mumbai terror attack, he said the possibility cannot be ruled out.

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Mangaluru’s KPT becomes India’s first autonomous govt polytechnic

News Network

January 23,2026

Mangaluru: The Karnataka Government Polytechnic (KPT), Mangaluru, has achieved autonomous status from the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), becoming the first government polytechnic in the country to receive such recognition in its 78-year history. The status was granted by AICTE, New Delhi, and subsequently approved by the Karnataka Board of Technical Education in October last year.

Officials said the autonomy was conferred a few months ago. Until recently, AICTE extended autonomous status only to engineering colleges, excluding diploma institutions. However, with a renewed national focus on skill development, several government polytechnics across India have now been granted autonomy.

KPT, the second-largest polytechnic in Karnataka, was established in 1946 with four branches and has since expanded to offer eight diploma programmes, including computer science and polymer technology. The institution is spread across a 19-acre campus.

Ravindra M Keni, the first dean of the institution, told The Times of India that AICTE had proposed autonomous status for polytechnic institutions that are over 25 years old. “Many colleges applied. In the first round, 100 institutions were shortlisted, which was further narrowed down to 15 in the second round. We have already completed one semester after becoming an autonomous institution,” he said. He added that nearly 500 students are admitted annually across eight three-year diploma courses.

Explaining the factors that helped KPT secure autonomy, Keni said the institution has consistently recorded 100 per cent admissions and placements for its graduates. He also noted its strong performance in sports, with the college emerging champions for 12 consecutive years, along with active student participation in NCC and NSS activities.

Autonomous status allows KPT to design industry-oriented curricula, conduct examinations, prepare question papers, and manage academic documentation independently. The institution can also directly collaborate with industries and receive priority funding from AICTE or the Ministry of Education. While academic autonomy has been granted, financial control will continue to rest with the state government.

“There will be separate committees for examinations, question paper setting, boards of studies, and boards of examiners. The institution will now have the freedom to conduct admissions without government notifications and issue its own marks cards,” Keni said, adding that new academic initiatives would be planned after a year of functioning under the autonomous framework.

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