NDRF and other rescuers conducted an operation to rescue a tour boat in Jabalpur district of Madhya Pradesh on 1 May 2026. Photo credit: PTI
A Jabalpur court in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday (May 5, 2026) took cognizance of the cruise ship tragedy that claimed the lives of 13 people at Bargi Dam in the district last week and directed the police to register an FIR.
Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) DP Sutrakar said the “failure” of the cruise ship driver and other crew members to make any effort to save the drowning passengers constituted an attempt to commit culpable homicide.
The court directed the Bargi police station to register an FIR within two days.
A boat operated by the state tourism department capsized on April 30, killing 13 people, including women and children, while 28 people were rescued. The state government has ordered an inquiry into the incident.
In its order, the court said that based on reports published in newspapers and social media, it found that the driver of the cruise ship operated the vessel inappropriately, leading to the death of several people when it capsized.
The driver of the pleasure boat escaped unhurt, leaving the passengers on board to drown. His failure to make any effort to save them amounts to attempt to commit culpable homicide under Sections 106 (causing death by rash or negligent act) and 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the agency said.
If an FIR is not registered and the case is not investigated, anyone operating a cruise ship or boat in future will let people drown in an unusual incident and this behavior is likely to be repeated, the court added.
The court order said that in order to prevent such incidents, it takes suo motu cognizance and directs the registration of an FIR against the driver and other crew members present on the ship at the time of the incident.
The order said the court commended those who rescued the drowning victims on the cruise ship.
It also directed the Bargi police station concerned to inform the court about the registration of the FIR within two days.
Published – May 6, 2026 06:32 IST
