Fourteen men without valid identity papers were arrested from two boats near Panju Island, Vasai, in Maharashtra's Palghar district, police said on Sunday.

The police said that a Coast Guard patrolling team on Saturday spotted two boats off the Uttan coast and boarded them to check. 'The crew on board had no valid permit, documents or ID proof. They claimed to hail from West Bengal,' said Coast Guard PRO Abhinandan Maitra.

He said the 14 were handed over to Vasai police.

During the operation, four other boats in the vicinity came ashore and its crew members fled into the dense mangroves nearby, the official added.

The Vasai police had been intimated about this incident as well, he said.

Police identified the 14 arrested persons as Abil Shaikh (25), Shafiful (27), Ahajith (33), Moiddin (45), Islam (35), B Shaikh (22), Shaiful (27), N Mulla (45), Rafiqul (19), Saiful (27), J Mulla (40), Mondal (28), Painal (38) and Ibrahim Shaikh (25).

Police said investigations were underway to find out if the persons arrested are Bangladeshi nationals.