An Indian fisherman was killed in firing by the Pakistan Navy at an Indian boat in international waters off the Gujarat coast on Friday.

The deceased, identified as Iqbal Abdul Bhatti from Porbandar in Gujarat, was on the boat named Prem Raj along with five other fishermen. The boat had set sail from the port of Okha, 500 km from Gandhinagar on 8 September.

The firing took place near the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL), Manish Lodhari, an official of the National Fishworkers' Forum, told the media.

"We learnt from the fishermen that several rounds were fired on the boat near the IMBL at 9 a.m. The fishing boat was registered in Okha. A fisherman named Iqbal (40) has been killed in the firing," he said.

Soon after receiving information about the firing teams of Coast Guard personnel left on two ships, Vijit and Meeraben, to probe the incident. The Vijit escorted fishing boat Prem Raj back to Okha.

The Congress had condemned the incident. "The killing of Gujarat fisherman in broad daylight by Pakistan forces is despicable and unprecedented," Congress leader Ahmed Patel said on Twitter.

He said that three months ago, he had written to the central government on the "urgent need to strengthen Gujarat's coastal security but there was no response".

(With IANS inputs)