Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, after a hurriedly-called available cabinet meeting, on Monday announced a judicial probe into the tragedy at Malappuram’s Tanur on Sunday night when a boat with 40 passengers capsized, leaving at least 22 dead and one still missing.
He arrived at the accident spot on Monday morning and met all leaders and officials and announced the judicial probe.
“This is one of the worst tragedies that have hit the state. The state government will hand out a sum of Rs 10 lakh each to the family of the deceased and the entire treatment expenses of those who are under treatment will be borne by the state. We extend our deepest condolences to the grieving,” said Vijayan who also visited the homes of the grieving.
The boat ‘Atlantic’ was a modified fishing boat and the required safety protocols were not followed and recently its license was cancelled, only to be granted again quickly.
There were 40 people on the boat and children who did not have to take tickets.
All eyes are on the probe as a probe by a sitting judge is practically ruled out and also if any action will be taken into the reports that now have been idling with the state government on judicial probes – Kumarakom, Thekkady and Thatekadu tragedies that took place in the past two decades.
In all these three tragedies, overloading was a factor and the same was found out at Tanur also.
–IANS