Assam police arrests 6 IWT staffers in boat tragedy

The Assam police have arrested 6 employees of Assam''s Inland Water Transport (IWT) Department  for allegedly committing mistakes sans which the boat capsize in the Brahmaputra that has left two persons dead and one missing could have been avoided, and charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Three people working in the private boat were picked up for questioning, while several officials were summoned for recording their statements, Jorhat Superintendent of Police Ankur Jain said on Sunday.

IWT staffers from Nimati Ghat were arrested after finding out that they had committed mistakes as they did not follow the procedures. The accident could have been avoided," Jain said. "Three persons working in the private boat at Kamalabari in Majuli district were also picked up for questioning. We are coordinating with Majuli Police and a team from Jorhat will reach there," Jain said. The police have registered a case under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) read with Section 34 (criminal act done by several persons for the common intention of all) of the Indian Penal Code, and all the accused have been charged with these provisions, he added.

The collision took place when private boat ''Ma Kamala'' was heading towards Majuli from Nimati Ghat with passengers and vehicles, while government ferry ''MB Tipkai'' was coming from the world''s largest river island. Meanwhile, various agencies such as National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police and district administrations are conducting an extensive search in the accident spot and even 100 km downstream for the missing person.