The Jabalpur District Court has directed the registration of an FIR against the cruise boat pilot and others after the boat sank into a river in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh and claimed the lives of 13 individuals.
Taking suo motu cognisance of the incident, the court noted alleged negligence by the operator, who allegedly abandoned passengers during the incident. The court ordered an FIR under sections 106 (causing death by negligence) and 110 (culpable homicide) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
"The cruise operator, being aware of the activities and situation of the cruise, exited safely but did not make any effort to save the other passengers, thereby leaving them to die," the court noted.
"If an FIR is not registered and the matter is not investigated, similar incidents may occur in the future, where operators of such vessels may abandon passengers during emergencies. To prevent such incidents, the Court has taken suo motu cognisance and directs that an FIR be registered against the driver and other concerned persons present at the time of the incident," the order read.
The court also appreciates those who attempted to rescue the drowning individuals.
On Sunday, the Jabalpur District Administration said search operations in the cruise boat tragedy at Bargi Dam in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur district were completed with the recovery of two more bodies, raising the death count to 13.
The bodies have been sent to a government hospital for postmortem, and all 13 missing persons identified have now been accounted for, officials said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had condoled the loss of lives and announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the next of family of the victims.
"The loss of lives due to the capsizing of a boat in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, is extremely painful. I extend my condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in this tragic mishap. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured. The local administration is assisting those affected. A compensation of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRE would be given to the next of family of each of those who lost their lives. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000," the Prime Minister's office said.
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