21 die as tourist boat capsizes in Andaman

January 26, 2014

Port Blair, Jan 26: At least 21 persons died today when the tourist boat carrying them capsized in the Bay of Bengal near here in the Andaman and Nicobar islands, official sources said.

The boat carrying 45 people - tourists from Kanchi Puram district of Tamil Nadu and Mumbai, and crew members -- sank on its way from Ross Island to North Bay.

The South Andaman district administration confirmed 21 deaths and said 13 people were rescued.

Civil administration and defence establishments like the Coast Guard conducted operations to rescue remaining passengers, the sources said.

It was suspected that some persons might have been trapped in the cabin of the boat 'Aqua Marine'.

Though the boat had the capacity to carry only 25 passengers, it was overcrowded which led to the accident, the sources said.

A group of tourists from Kanchipuram district of Tamil Nadu who were staying in a resort at Prothrapur in South Andaman district, and another small group of tourists from Mumbai were on the boat, they said.

Lt Governor Lt Gen (Retd) A K Singh announced an exgratia payment of Rs one lakh to the family of the deceased.

Singh also spoke to Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde and briefed him about the rescue operations he ordered after the accident.

The rescued persons were admitted to G B Pant Hospital in Port Blair where the bodies were also taken for postmortem, the sources said.

Helpline numbers set up at the district control room are: 1070, 03192-240127/230178/238881 and those in the G B Pant Hospital are: 03192-230629/9933274092. The local helpline number is 102.

Additional District Magistrate of South Andaman has been directed to conduct a magisterial enquiry into the incident.

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7 Bangladeshis arrested in Udupi after man with fake passport caught attempting to fly Dubai via Mangaluru Airport

News Network

October 12,2024

Udupi: In a significant operation, the Malpe police have arrested seven Bangladeshi nationals who were illegally residing in India using forged Aadhaar cards. Udupi Superintendent of Police, Dr. Arun K, stated that the arrests followed after an immigration incident involving one of the group's members.

Muhammed Manik, one of the arrested individuals, was caught attempting to travel to Dubai via Mangaluru International Airport with a fake passport. Alert immigration officers at the airport detained him and handed him over to the Bajpe police, who registered a case. Following this, the Udupi police, acting on the information provided by the Bajpe police and immigration authorities, conducted an investigation that led to the arrest of the seven individuals in Hoode village, Paduthonse, Udupi.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Hakeem Ali (24), Sujon S K alias Farooq (19), Ismail S K (30), Kareem S K (20), Salam S K (22), Rajikul S K (20), and Mohammed Sojib (20), all hailing from Bangladesh.

The group entered India without any valid documentation and managed to acquire fake Aadhaar cards, which they used to stay in the country illegally. According to police sources, a person named Kajol from Agartala assisted them in obtaining the fraudulent Aadhaar cards, while a Bangladeshi named Usman facilitated their illegal entry into India under the guise of employment. Both Kajol and Usman are currently at large.

The Malpe police have registered cases under several sections, including Sections 19(2), 318(4), 336(2), 336(3), 340(2), and 190 of the BNS, related to fraud and illegal entry. Interrogations are ongoing as the police seek further details in connection with the case.

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