Boat carrying picnickers capsizes in Chilika lake, two drown

Sources said most of the mechanised country boats ferrying passengers in Chilika lake do not have route permits and registration numbers.
In violation of safety guidelines, a country boat ferries people and motorcycles in Chilika lake | Ranjan Ganguly
In violation of safety guidelines, a country boat ferries people and motorcycles in Chilika lake | Ranjan Ganguly

PURI/BERHAMPUR: Two persons drowned and another was rescued in critical condition after the boat carrying them capsized in Chilika lake on Sunday evening.The deceased were identified as Rakesh Swain of Talamali Sahi and Soumendra Mohanty of Markandeswar Sahi in Puri town. While Rakesh owned a medicine store, Soumendra worked as a manager in a pharmaceutical company.

The injured, Alok Mohanty, has been admitted to the district headquarters hospital (DHH), Puri and his condition is serious.The trio was part of a 13-member group of picnickers from Puri who had gone to Kalijai island for a fun trip. While returning from the island, their country boat overturned due to strong winds. Nearby boatmen rescued 10 members of the picnic party while one managed to swim to the shore. But Rakesh and Soumendra went missing.

On being informed, fire service personnel of Brahmagiri reached the spot and launched a search operation. Subsequently, bodies of the missing duo were recovered from the lake. Sources said none of the picnickers was wearing life jacket.Brahmagiri police registered a case and sent the bodies for postmortem to Puri DHH. Four persons have been detained in the police station and further investigation is underway.

Sources said most of the mechanised country boats ferrying passengers in Chilika lake do not have route permits and registration numbers. Besides, the boats do not have mandatory life-saving gears.Every year, several such mishaps take place in the lake leading to loss of human lives but no visible action has been taken either by the Inland Fisheries department or local police against the boats operating illegally. Following Sunday’s mishap, locals urged the administration to take stringent action against the illegal boat operators.

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