Gujarat, India

In the aftermath of the heart-wrenching boat tragedy in Vadodara in the Indian state of Gujarat, six people have been arrested by the police. Three of those arrested are promoters of the firm entrusted with the development and maintenance of Harni Lake as a tourist destination in the state. 

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Fourteen people, including 12 school children and 2 teachers lost their lives as the boat capsized in Harni Lake in the evening hours of Thursday (Jan 18).

A special investigation team (SIT) has been formed to delve into the incident's details and nab the remaining 12 accused. The SIT will work in tandem with the magisterial inquiry initiated by State Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.

Vadodara Commissioner of Police, Anupam Singh Gahlaut, while laying emphasis on the gravity of the situation, stated, "The boat, designed to accommodate 14 persons, was egregiously overcrowded with more than 30 individuals, and, regrettably, safety jackets were not provided to everyone."

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Gahlaut further revealed that a thorough inquiry is underway, shedding light on multiple lapses attributed to the company "Kotia Project," which managed operations at the tourist destination.

Fortunately, the children and one teacher equipped with safety jackets survived the accident.

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The special investigation team, led by Joint Commissioner of Police Manoj Ninama, has been tasked to apprehend the remaining 12 accused named in the FIR.

“We have arrested six accused including three of the partners of Kotia Project and the other three are staff members of the company. There are about 15 partners in the firm and a case has been registered against all of them. More names are likely to crop up in the coming days,” said Gahlaut.

The arrested partners of Kotia Project include Bhimsing Yadav (42), Rashmikant Prajapati (51), and Vedprakash Yadav (55), alongside two boatmen and one managerial staff member of "Lake Zone."

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Preliminary investigations

Preliminary investigations revealed a violation of education department norms, as the district education officer was not informed of the excursion plan.

Russi Wadia, trustee of New Sunrise School, detailed how the tragedy unfolded, pointing out organisational negligence during the picnic.

Wadia said that “One Time Arena, Lake View”, also handled by Kotia, proposed hosting the picnic.

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“They assured us of their capabilities as a large organization with restaurants and facilities, so we trusted them and took our students there. They managed the bus service, food, and fun rides. The problem arose when they overcrowded the boat, despite protests from our teachers who urged them not to do so. Our teacher, Mansi, informed them that only 7-8 students were provided with life jackets, and the teachers were not given any. But they did not listen and started the boat trip,” Wadia further said.

(With inputs from agencies)