Drowning incident in MP: Minister seeks action against senior officials

Bhopal : A day after eleven people drowned after two boats carrying them capsized in a lake in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh Legal Affairs Minister PC Sharma has demanded a high-level inquiry as well as action against senior officials of police and district administration.

The incident occurred in Khatlapura on the banks of the Lower Lake during Ganesh idol immersion in the wee hours on Friday.

In a letter addressed to the commissioner of Bhopal division, Sharma alleged carelessness and demanded suspension of the senior officials who were not present at the spot.

"The tragedy could have been averted had officials of district administration and police besides divers been present at the site of the immersion," he stated.

"Those officers (of deputy collector and tehsildar level) who were assigned the duty at the immersion site should be suspended and a high-level inquiry conducted," he demanded.

Hours after the incident, district collector suspended four officials for alleged dereliction of duty. Revenue Inspector Anil Gawhane, who was on duty at the Upper Lake, also faced the similar action.

Assistant Police Sub-Inspector Shivvachan Yadav, who was posted at the site but was found absent, was also suspended. The Bhopal Municipal Corporation has suspended fire officer Sajid Khan and deputy city engineer R K Saxena, who were on duty at the immersion site, said a civic official.

The municipal corporation had announced relief of Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of the deceased, while an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh, including an immediate relief of Rs 50,000, was declared by the collector.

Chief Minister Kamal Nath had ordered a magisterial inquiry and a compensation of Rs 11 lakh each to the kin of the deceased, while police registered a case against the two boatmen.