A survivor of the Hirakud boat mishap being taken to the hospital last Sunday and (right) Akshaya Rana, the boatman, who has been arrested in connection with the incident. AFP and Telegraph picture

Sambalpur, Feb. 12: Police arrested a boatman of the ill-fated boat, which capsized Sunday evening and claimed 31 lives, on charges of rash navigation. The boatman, Akshaya Rana, 21, was nabbed from near the town.

Besides, ferry service has come to a standstill in the Hirakud reservoir following the boat tragedy.

The police had registered a case against the boat owner, Satyananada Pandey, and two boatmen, Akhaya Rana an Anjan Parua, in connection with the boat capsize in the Hiraku reservoir.

Hirakud sub-divisional police officer Devi Prashad Dash said: “The boatman, Akshaya Rana, has been booked under sections 280, 282 and 304 of the Indian Penal Code. Efforts are on to arrest the boat owner, Satyanand Pandey, and the other boatman, Anjan Parua.”

“Primary inquiry revealed that the boat had capsized because of overloading. However, investigation is on into all possible angles,” said Dash.

On the other hand, the arrested boatman said: “The picnickers had gone to the picnic spot in three trips. However, while returning, all of them boarded the boat simultaneously. We had also requested them not to board the boat at a time and asked some of them to get down from the boat. But, they were not in a mood to heed to our request.”

“Though the boat’s capacity is to carry 110 to 120 passengers, around 150 passengers had boarded it at the same time. Moreover, some bikes were also there on the boat. Because of the overloading, water gushed into the boat from its base. We had started draining out the water from the boat. However, the water level increased in the boat, and subsequently, the motor of the boat stopped working,” said the boatman.

Though a boat had also come to the victims’ rescue, the panicked passengers started jumping to the rescue boat. As a result, the original boat lost balance and capsized,” said he.

Four boats were regularly ferrying between Sonutikra ghat of Talab panchayat in Dhankauda block of Sambalpur district and Tilia ghat of Lakhanpur block in Jhasuguda district. Hundreds of people, who go to Jhasuguda district, prefer to travel by boat as it saves time and money.

Sources said Sountikra ghat, where the picnickers of Lions Club boarded the boat, had not been auctioned since past one year. Local sub-collector Surendra Panda said: “The matter is under inquiry now.”

Court notice

Orissa High Court today took suo motu notice of the Hirakud boat tragedy.

Chief Justice A.K. Goel took suo motu notice of media reports and assigned a division bench to take up the issue as public interest litigation.

The division bench constituting of Justice Indrajit Mahanty and Justice B.N. Mohapatra directed the state government to submit report on the same within 10 days. The court fixed February 24 for hearing the matter.

Secretaries of the state revenue and disaster management department, water resources department and the home department were named as respondents. The court expected affidavits from the authorities on the compensation given in connection with the victims, regulating mechanism and the safety norms adopted in connection with ferrying of boats across the state.

Revenue divisional commissioner (north) Pramod Meherda has started probe into the incident. A case also has been registered at Hirakud police station in connection with the accident.