The Bihar government on Sunday initiated a probe into the Makar Sankranti boat mishap in which at least 24 people, including women and children, died while several others were injured.
The Bihar government on Sunday initiated a probe into the Makar Sankranti boat mishap in which at least 24 people, including women and children, died while several others were injured.
On Saturday, two 'overloaded' boats, bringing back revellers from a kite festival held at the Sabbalpur diara, had collided and capsized in river Ganga near NIT ghat in Patna. While witnesses allege administrative lapses in protecting lives, any responsibility is yet to be fixed.
An FIR has been lodged against the boatman for allegedly taking on more people aboard than the vessel's capacity, as well as some other unnamed people. The boatman, identified as Ashok Rai, was among the survivors of the tragic accident in Sonepur police station.
The police will also investigate the fair which had been organised at the diara without any administrative approvals. While the government claimed that the fair had also attracted an unusually large number of revellers across the river, the Opposition alleged that the temporary amusement park was not even fully open.
The rescue operations, which went on for over 17 hours, were called off around 2pm on Sunday with chances of recovering any more bodies unlikely, Patna DM Sanjay Kumar Agarwal, said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an ex-gratia of Rs two lakh each for the kin of the deceased while the state government has already handed over a cheque of Rs four lakh each to the recipients.
A number of events, including PM Modi's launching of repair work of Gandhi Setu and JD (U)'s Sankranti feast, that were scheduled on Sunday, were called off due to the tragedy.
The Opposition BJP has raised 21 questions asking CM Nitish Kumar, who was responsible for the mishap. "If the praise for good organisation of Prakash Parv and Kalachakra are for the CM, then who will take responsibility of the mismanagement at the Sankranti festival," former deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi said.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Bihar boat tragedy")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}