Two Republic TV staff held for filming Iranian ship in Kochi restricted zone

A reporter and a cameraperson from the television channel Republic TV, along with a boat driver, were arrested on Saturday for allegedly entering a restricted high-security zone near Kochi port and filming an Iranian naval vessel, according to a report by Scroll.in.

The three were detained after they reportedly used a rented boat to enter the Southern Coal Berth area of the port, which is classified as a restricted zone. According to the police, the group filmed and photographed the Iranian Navy vessel IRIS Lavan and attempted to share the material in a manner that could pose a threat to national security, Scroll.in reported, citing local media.

Security personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) noticed the boat inside the restricted area and intercepted it before detaining the three individuals, the report said.

The detainees were identified as Republic TV reporter Shankar, cameraperson Mani and boat driver Radhakrishnan. They were subsequently handed over to the Harbour police station in Kochi for further investigation, Scroll.in reported. Police also seized the cameras and other equipment used to record the images and videos.

According to the FIR filed by Harbour Police, the three have been booked under provisions of the Official Secrets Act relating to spying in prohibited areas and the unauthorised communication of sensitive information. They have also been charged under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita dealing with criminal trespass and offences committed with common intention, according to the Scroll.in report.

The FIR was briefly uploaded on Pol-App, the official Kerala Police application, before being taken down later. Kochi City deputy commissioner of police Aswathy Jiji told Scroll.in that the document had been accidentally published and was removed owing to the sensitive nature of the case.

The arrests came days after the IRIS Lavan docked at Kochi port on Wednesday, 4 March. Iran had sought permission from the Indian government on 28 February for the vessel to dock in Kochi owing to technical problems. Approval for the docking was granted on 1 March, Scroll.in reported.

Following the ship’s arrival, its 183 crew members were accommodated at Indian naval facilities in Kochi. IRIS Lavan had earlier participated in the International Fleet Review held in Visakhapatnam from 15 to 25 February, where naval vessels from multiple countries took part in maritime exercises and ceremonial events, according to Scroll.in.

On Tuesday, the Iranian warship IRIS Dena was torpedoed by a US submarine in international waters off the coast of Sri Lanka as it returned from the same naval exercise. The vessel, which had a crew capacity of about 180, sank following the attack. At least 87 people were killed and 61 reported missing, while 32 crew members were rescued by the Sri Lankan Navy.

The US Department of War confirmed the attack on Wednesday and later released footage showing a torpedo striking the Iranian frigate and triggering a large explosion.

Reacting to the strike on Thursday, Iranian foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said the vessel that was attacked had earlier been “a guest of India’s Navy” during the fleet review in Visakhapatnam and had been struck without warning. He warned that the United States would “come to bitterly regret the precedent it has set”.

The Indian government has not yet commented on the attack.

The incidents come amid rising tensions in West Asia. Israel and the US launched a joint operation on 28 February aimed at what they described as degrading the capabilities of the Iranian government. Israel has repeatedly claimed that Iran is close to developing a nuclear weapon, while Tehran maintains that its nuclear programme is meant solely for civilian purposes.

Iran subsequently carried out retaliatory strikes targeting Israel, US military installations in the region and several ships, as well as major cities in some Gulf countries.