Jharsuguda: Odisha police on Sunday arrested the boat owner and the driver in the boat capsize incident. The mishap took 8 lives in the Hirakuda water reservoir in Jharsuguda district.
Registering a suo moto case numbered 117/24 under the Rengali police station, police arrested the duo and forwarded them before the court. The ward member and owner of the boat is Narayan Bhoi (50) and the driver of the boat has been identified as Jeet Pandey.
The police have filed a case against both of them u/s 304 of IPC for culpable homicide (murder without intention) and section 280 for endangering human life due to negligence. The police also detained and later released Sarpanch Prafulla Singh as he had no role in the incident but there is a possible threat of public attack on him.
Following a decision made at a village gathering, under the knowledge of the villagers, the boat ride was allowed without legal permission for boating. “Despite being designed to accommodate only 20 people, it carried more than 50 passengers, resulting in the mishap on Friday afternoon,” said the Motor Vehicle Inspector.
