The Madhya Pradesh High Court has ordered the suspension of cruise services and boating club operations across the state following the tragic incident at Bargi Dam where 13 people lost their lives. This decision was made during the hearing of Public Interest Litigations, including a petition by social worker Pushpa Tiwari, before a Division Bench of Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Vinay Saraf. The state government informed the court that a judicial inquiry committee, led by retired High Court judge Justice Sanjay Dwivedi, has been established to investigate the accident that occurred on April 30.
The committee has begun investigating the sequence of events that led to the tragedy and is expected to submit its report within three months. As a precautionary measure, cruise services and boating club activities have been halted statewide. The High Court has instructed the inquiry panel to conduct a thorough investigation into all aspects of the incident, focusing on whether safety regulations and operational standards were breached during the cruise. Additionally, the court has welcomed input from any individual willing to share information or suggestions related to the tragedy with the inquiry committee.
Advocate Gopesh Yash Tiwari, representing petitioner Pushpa Tiwari, emphasized the need for a prompt and unbiased investigation into the incident. He stated that the state government has informed the court about the formation of a judicial committee tasked with submitting an inquiry report within three months. In response, the court mandated the committee to conduct a comprehensive inquiry encompassing all relevant factors. Meanwhile, boating activities in all boating clubs across Madhya Pradesh have been prohibited for the duration of the ongoing inquiry.
The tragic event occurred on April 30 when a cruise vessel operating in the Bargi Dam reservoir capsized due to a storm, resulting in the loss of 13 lives, including women, children, and men. While 28 individuals were rescued following an extensive operation.
