Nine killed as boat capsizes in Gulbarga

Nine persons were killed as a boat carrying them capsized at Khaja Kotnoor lake near Srinivas Saradagi Friday night.

The bodies have been fished out of the lake.

The tragedy struck when a country boat meant for fishing capsized due to overloading. The dead have been identified as Bilkish Banu, Hoora Begum, Anees Begum, Khajamiya, Ayesha, Sanabanu, Shama, Nasir, Rehana Shabber Khan.

Two families of Naya Mohalla in the City had gone for picnic to Khaja Kotnoor lake. During the first round of boating, the ride was safe as only six persons were aboard.

But in the second round 12 members boarded the boat. Unable to take the burden, the boat capsized killing nine people. Three other members on board swam to safety.

A mass burial was organised after the post mortem at the district hospital. District in charge Minister Revu Naik Belamagi, Gulbarga North MLA Qamarul Islam and others visited the hospital.

The University Police have booked a case against the boatman under sections 280 (rash navigation of vessel) and 304 (A) (causing death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code. The boatman, however, is absconding.

Deputy Commissioner N S Prasanna Kumar said a compensation of Rs 10,000 each will be given to the next of kin of the victims, under the National Family Benefit Scheme

(NFBS). Also, the tahsildar will pay Rs 1,000 to the family members of each of the deceased as funeral expenses.

Maintaining that Khaja Kotnoor lake was unsafe for boating, Prasanna Kumar said that steps would be taken to ban illegal boating in the lake.

Sunday 21 October 2012

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