MALAPPURAM: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Kerala police on Tuesday arrested two senior port officials in connection with the Tanur boat tragedy that claimed 22 lives including 15 children on May 7.
The SIT has arrested senior Port Conservator in charge of Beypore Port V V Prasad and the Chief Surveyor at Alappuzha Port Sebastian Joseph in connection with the accident.
"They both were arrested due to their lapses in duty which apparently led to the accident," a senior police official told PTI.
With this, a total of 12 people have been arrested by the police in connection with the boat tragedy, police added.
"Three of the total arrested were taken into custody for harbouring the accused owner," police said, adding that they are out on bail now. The boat capsised near an estuary close to the Thoovaltheeram beach at Tanur around 7.30 pm on May 7.
According to district officials, 15 of the deceased were minors aged eight months to 17 years and there were 37 persons onboard the ill-fated boat.
The High Court had on May 9 termed as "shocking" and "haunting" the boat accident at Tanur area of Malappuram district and initiated a PIL on its own to find out why the authorities allowed the vessel to operate by allegedly flouting rules.
The Kerala government had announced a judicial probe into the matter and decided to give a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the kin of the deceased.