Teach us Marathi, pirates tell cops

The police officers at the Yellowgate police station are baffled over a strange request made by six Somali pirates, who they questioned last week.

The police officers at the Yellowgate police station are baffled over a strange request made by six Somali pirates, who they questioned last week. The pirates asked the officials to teach them Marathi, which would help them find jobs in Mumbai, said sources.

HT Image

An officer at the Yellowgate police station, on condition of anonymity, said, “They said if they managed to learn the local language, it would make it easier for them to get a job in the city after they are released.”

According to sources, the pirates have told the police that it is very difficult to find employment in Somalia and so they would prefer to work in Mumbai.

The Indian Navy has apprehended 104 Somali pirates in three operations in the last two months and they are lodged at the Arthur Road Jail. “We ask for their custody in batches of six,” said Quaiser Khalid, deputy commissioner of police (Port Zone).

In prison, the pirates have started to adjust to the new environs. “Initially, language was a barrier, but now they understand instructions. They help out with tasks like cleaning their cells,” said the officer.