Trial in the case relating to the boat tragedy at Thekkady in 2009, which claimed 45 lives, has not yet started though the Crime Branch submitted the second chargesheet in 2019.
Former Superintendent of Police (SP) of Crime Branch, Kottayam, Sabu Mathew submitted the second chargesheet based on the reinvestigation into the tragedy before the Additional Sessions Court (IV), Thodupuzha, in December 2019. The first chargesheet was submitted in September 2019. Four years since, the trial has not started.
Idukki Crime Branch Superintendent of Police Gijimon said that the Crime Branch had already submitted the first and second chargesheets before the court.
Special Prosecutor E.A. Rahim told The Hindu that the case was now under the consideration of the Additional Sessions Court (IV), Thodupuzha. “The post of judge in the court is lying vacant. To start the trial, the government should appoint a judge to the court. The first two special prosecutors had resigned from the case,” said Mr. Rahim.
“The first chargesheet ran into 4,722 pages and some bifurcation occurred in the chargesheet. I hope the trial in the case will begin soon,” said Mr. Rahim.
According to officials, the crewmembers of the boat — the boat driver, helper, and the person who issued the tickets — were named accused in the first chargesheet. The second chargesheet included the names of the company which owned the boat, maker of the boat and officials who issued fitness certificate.
Tourists from other States
A double-decker boat capsized in Periyar Lake in Idukki, killing 45 people, including seven children and 23 women, on September 30, 2009. The boat capsized when tourists rushed to one side of the boat seeing a herd of wild elephants. There were no life jackets on the boat. The accident occurred at Manakkavala in Periyar Lake. There were 82 people onboard, majority of them from West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Delhi.
