Kerala Boat Tragedy: CM orders judicial probe, announces relief for victims' families
Malappuramm, May 08: On Monday, Kerala's Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, visited survivors of a boat capsize incident at the Taluk Hospital in Tirurangadi in Malappuram district.
The Kerala government has ordered a judicial probe into the incident, and the chief minister announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the victims' kin, and the government would bear the treatment expenses of the injured. The incident occurred on late Sunday evening, when an overloaded double-decker tourist boat capsized at Parappanangadi, resulting in the deaths of 22 people, including a police officer.
The Kerala Revenue Minister, K Rajan, confirmed that 22 people had died so far in the boat capsize incident. He stated that a search operation by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and rescue teams was underway, with 37 people identified. The exact number of people on the boat could not be recorded, and searches are still ongoing.
Rescue operations are in full swing, and the district administration has alerted all departments since the incident happened. The Malappuram District Collector, VR Prem Kumar, thanked local fishermen who volunteered in the search operation. The Navy and Coast Guard have also arrived to assist in the rescue operations.
Pained by the loss of lives due to the boat mishap in Malappuram, Kerala. Condolences to the bereaved families. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be provided to the next of kin of each deceased: PM @narendramodi — PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 7, 2023
Post-mortem procedures of those who died have been completed, and the bodies have been handed over to their relatives. The chief minister condoled the loss of lives and ordered effective coordination of rescue operations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his grief over the loss of lives and announced an ex-gratia of Rs Two lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased.
Distraught by the news of a houseboat capsizing in Malappuram, Kerala.
My heartfelt condolences to all those who have lost their loved ones, and wishes for the speedy recovery of those injured.
I appeal to Congress workers to assist the authorities in rescue operations. — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 7, 2023
The incident is tragic, and the government's efforts to provide relief to the affected families are commendable. The judicial probe will help identify the cause of the incident and prevent such accidents in the future. The authorities must ensure the safety of tourists, and stricter guidelines must be implemented to prevent overloading of boats.
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- With inputs from agencies
