In the wake of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, a Hong Kong-flagged crude oil tanker, the MT Siren II, currently anchored off Paradip port, finds itself at the center of a security standoff. The vessel, carrying a substantial cargo of 196,580 metric tons of unrefined oil destined for the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) refinery in Paradip, has been denied disembarkation permission for its 21 Pakistani crew members.
The ship, arriving at the Single Point Mooring (SPM) berth, a floating buoy located approximately 20 km offshore, has triggered an immediate and robust security response. While two Indian crew members were allowed to leave the vessel, the Pakistani nationals remain onboard under strict surveillance.
Jagatsinghpur Superintendent of Police, Bhawani Sankar Udgata, confirmed the heightened security measures. He explained that following the identification of the Pakistani crew by immigration authorities, multiple agencies sprang into action. Marine Police, Coast Guard, CISF, and Customs officials have been deployed, conducting thorough vessel searches and rigorous document verification of all crew members. The SP emphasised that the state government has been fully informed and the MT Siren II will remain under constant monitoring for the duration of its stay.
The incident highlights the tense geopolitical climate following recent events. Days prior, India saw a large-scale deportation of Pakistani citizens, a consequence of the devastating terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22nd, which resulted in 26 deaths.
This deportation involved an estimated 900 Pakistani nationals, some of whom had resided in India for nearly half a century. The action included the repatriation of approximately 60 Pakistani women and children from Jammu and Kashmir and eleven Pakistani individuals who entered the country on valid visas almost 50 years ago.
