In a tragic accident on Sunday afternoon an overcrowded boat capsized in Ranchi lake, also known as Bada Talab, leaving at least three persons dead and about five others injured.
The incident took place at around 1.30 pm when the ill-fated boat taking around 16 people, including Additional Chief Secretary Sajal Chakraborty on board entered the lake on the occasion of inauguration of boating facility. The injured people are undergoing treatment in different hospitals in Ranchi.
The accident took place on day of the inauguration of the park which also accommodates a boating club. According to eyewitnesses, after inauguration of the park, Chakraborty and more than dozen people accompanied him on the boat which incidentally had a capacity of just around 10. The passengers were apparently not wearing life jackets, confided an eyewitness.
“The accident has happened because of overcrowding. It had a capacity of only 10,” said Deputy Commissioner Vinay Kumar Choubey. Two unnamed FIRs have been lodged in connection with the case, one against the handler of the boating facility and another against the boat driver, said PS in-charge of Kotwali. Nonetheless, Chakraborty offered a totally different explanation for the incident. According to him, who is also heading the Tourism department, the boat lost balance in the water throwing the passengers into excitement and making them shift on the moving boat which apparently led to the drowning of the boat.
Interestingly, Chakraborty also confirmed that the boat had more people on board than its actual capacity. “When the boat turned left people shifted right and when it tilted right people shifted left. It became vertical and finally tumbled,” said Chakraborty.