Three suspicious containers were found washed ashore in the coastal areas of Maharashtra’s Palghar district on Sunday.According to the details, while two of the containers were found on the Satpati beach, one was found on Shirgaon beach, sparking a swift response from security and disaster management agencies.Soon after the containers were found, authorities put coastal villages on alert and intensified patrolling on beaches. Two of the containers were discovered on Satpati beach, while one was found on Shirgaon beach, sparking a swift response from security and disaster management agencies. Upon receiving the alert, the Indian Coast Guard and Palghar Police rushed to the scene and cordoned off the area to prevent public access.
“We received information about three unidentified containers being washed up on the Palghar coast. Two were found near Satpati beach and one on Shirgaon beach,” said Vivekanand Kadam, Chief of the Disaster Management Cell of Palghar. Efforts to inspect the containers have been complicated by tidal conditions. The rising sea made it difficult for authorities to reach the exact locations of the containers, which remained partially submerged. “Due to high tide, it is currently difficult to access and examine the containers. We are coordinating with the Coast Guard to ensure a safe and controlled recovery operation,” Kadam added. Local authorities suspect that the containers may have washed up from a shipwreck or vessel that may have encountered distress in deep seawaters.
However, no official confirmation has been made regarding their origin or contents.Several curious people thronged the beaches before the police imposed restrictions. “We are urging citizens to stay away from the area until the containers are fully secured and examined. At this point, we cannot speculate about the contents, but public safety is our top priority,” said Kadam. He further stated that bomb disposal and hazardous materials teams would be kept on standby until the containers are inspected and cleared by experts. This isn’t the first time such an incident has occurred along the Palghar coastline. Earlier this year, a container had washed up on Vasai beach, raising concerns about maritime safety and coastal security. “We are not ruling out any possibilities at this stage,” Kadam said, adding that the investigations will look into whether these containers were part of cargo lost from ships during rough seas or due to illegal dumping. The Palghar Police, along with Coast Guard authorities, have launched a joint investigation. Maritime authorities are also being roped in to trace the possible origin of the containers through shipping logs and coastal surveillance data. “We are treating this as a serious security and environmental matter. All necessary agencies are working together to assess and resolve the situation,” Kadam said.