The Indian Coast Guard detained 26 Pakistani fishermen and seized five boats off the Jakhau coast in the Kutch district of Gujarat late on Monday, PTI reported. A statement by a defence official said the men were apprehended after they entered Indian territory.

However, other reports suggested that they were detained when they were 10 nautical miles (approximately 18.52 kilometres) away from the Indian shore. The men have been sent to Jakhau for questioning by various agencies including the fisheries department and the intelligence bureau, Hindustan Times reported.

This is one of the largest groups of Pakistani citizens to be detained following the surgical strikes on militant camps along the Line of Control by the Indian Army in September. In October, the Coast Guard had seized a boat off the coast of Gujarat and detained the nine crew members on board.