"Boat Operator Lacked Experience," Finds Probe Into Gujarat Tragedy

The investigation into the Vadodara boat capsize tragedy has revealed that the firm managing the lake recreation zone had sub-let the contract for boating activities to another company, prompting the police to book its owner and another person, a senior officer said on Saturday. According to police, the boat operator had no prior experience and his helper did not even know how to swim.

As many as 12 students and two teachers among a group of picnickers died on Thursday when the boat, which was prima facie overloaded, capsized in Motnath Lake in Harni area.

Vadodara police commissioner Anupam Singh Gehlot on Saturday said the names of Paresh Jain and Nilesh Shah were added to the First Information Report (FIR).

Mr Jain is the owner of Dolphin Entertainment which was given a sub-contract by Kotia Projects that developed the lakefront for recreational purposes, he said.

Mr Shah was involved with Kotia Projects and had also played a role in appointing three of the six persons, arrested by the police after the tragedy, as directors of the firm, Mr Gehlot told reporters.

"Police have found that one of the 18 accused named initially in the FIR had died in the past. With the new additions (names of Jain and Shah), the number of the accused in this case has risen to 19," he said.

Police have so far arrested six persons while a lookout notice (LOC) was issued against others who are on the run, Mr Gehlot said.

On Saturday, the six accused were remanded in police custody till January 25.

"Interrogation of the accused and scanning of their mobile phones revealed that Paresh Jain and Nilesh Shah were being provided reports of income generated from the sale of tickets (at the lake) etc. every day.

"Other information regarding activities at the lake zone was also provided to them by staff members of the firm. The duo was also briefed daily on other aspects by staffers," the police commissioner said.

The investigation so far revealed that Kotia Projects, which had signed an MoU with the Vadodara civic body to develop the Motnath lake zone, had given a sub-contract for boating activities to Dolphin Entertainment, he said.

"Jain is the owner of Dolphin Entertainment and Shah was involved with Kotia Projects. Shah's wife, his son and a daughter are already named in the FIR against 19 persons," the police commissioner said.

Gujarat Police on Friday said it had arrested Bhimsingh Yadav, Vedprakash Yadav and Rashmikant Prajapati, who are partners in Kotia Projects, as well as the firm's manager Shantilal Solanki. Two boat operators, identified as Nayan Gohil and Ankit Vasava, were also held in connection with the boat capsize.

The Vadodara civic body terminated the contract of Kotia Projects after the boat tragedy.

"Among the six persons arrested so far in the case are a manager of Kotia Projects and two boat operators. They have been charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The boat operator had no prior experience of operating the boat, and his helper did not even know how to swim," Mr Gehlot said.

Police registered a case on Thursday under sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) of the Indian Penal Code against 18 persons. One of them has died.

A seven-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime and Traffic), Manoj Ninama, is handling the investigation. Other members include DCPs Panna Momaya and Yuvrajsinh Jadeja, and ACP HA Rathod.

As per the FIR, the boat started swaying due to overload and capsized in the lake following water ingress from the front side.

Eighteen students and two teachers were rescued.

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