Four Drown In Odisha Boat Capsizal

Dhenkanal: A day after four persons were drowned in a boat capsizal in Brahmani river, former MP Rudra Narayan Pani on Sunday accused the Dhenkanal district administration’s “apathy” for the mishap.

The incident took place on Saturday night when the boat with nine persons, including two boatmen, from Khadagaprasad ghat to Kunandeipur capsized in the middle of the river. While the two boatmen and three others managed to swim to the river bank, the other four were drowned.

“The district administration is yet to learn any lesson from the boat mishap at Surapratappur ghat in Karamula block during Shiv Ratri in 2015. There is no restriction on illegal ferrying of boats in the river. The administration is not checking the country boats which usually carry more than their capacity of passengers,” Pani said.

“Several people depend on the boats to go to Kunandeipur in Parjang block in search of work every day. Taking this into consideration, the district administration should take necessary measures to ensure their safety,” he added.

Sources said following information, a fire brigade rushed to Khagadaprasad and begun a search operation for the missing persons. The additional collector, sub-collector of Kamakhyanagar and tehsildar of Parjang block were also present.

The search operation resumed on Sunday. The identity of the victims is yet to be ascertained.