Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 25 (IANS) A commission that probed the 2009 Thekkady boat tragedy that left 45 people dead has indicted the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) for grave lapses which led to the accident.


The Justice (retd) E. Moideen Kunju one-man commission submitted its report to Chief Minister Oommen Chandy here Thursday.

Tragedy struck Sep 30, 2009 when a boat owned by the KTDC sank in the Thekkady lake in the wildlife reserve.

The boat, which had a capacity of 76 passengers, had 87 people aboard. The alertness of the locals averted more casualties.

The judicial commission blamed those responsible for buying the boat that did not meet the safety requirements. Besides, the boat driver did not have the desired expertise.

The Crime Branch of the police, which took over the probe soon after the incident, arrested K.K. Sanjeev, the surveyor, N.A. Giri, the official of the firm based in Chennai that manufactured the boat, Victor Samuel, the driver of the boat, his assistant, a forest guard and Chief Boat Inspector M. Mathews.

All the six are currently on bail.

Chandy, who accepted the report, will now present it in a cabinet meeting where a decision on it will be taken.