Amid growing outrage, the Mumbai Police has registered a case of culpable homicide and negligence into the sinking of an accommodation barge Papaa-305 in the Arabian Sea along the Maharashtra coast as Tauktae cyclone barreled through leading a trail of destruction.
The barge, along with its marine crew was owned and operated by Durmast Enterprises Ltd, which was chartered by Afcons Infrastructure Ltd, which along with its consortium partner Halani-Tes-Nauvata, has been working with ONGC for the revamp of its unmanned offshore platforms in the Arabian Sea.
When the devastating cyclone hit the Mumbai High offshore development area, the barge, which had 261 persons, had sunk. An anchor-handling boat too was affected.
So far Indian Navy, which is leading the Search and Rescue (SAR) operations, have rescued 186 persons and recovered 51 bodies while 24 are still reported missing.
The Yellow Gate police station in Mumbai, which has jurisdiction in the Arabian Sea along India’s western seaboard, converted its ADR into an FIR and began investigations.
“An FIR has been registered under Sections 304 (II) and 338 of the Indian Penal Code and further investigations are on,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) Chaitanya S.
The FIR has named the barge’s Captain Rakesh Ballav.
However, it may be recalled that the barge’s Chief Engineer had earlier named Captain Balwandir Singh and accused him of ignoring warnings and not heeding requests to move out.
Meanwhile, the ONGC management has decided to extend an immediate relief of Rs. 1 lakh to the survivors and Rs. 2 lakh to the families of the victims and the missing people.
Afcons too is working out a package ranging between Rs 35 to Rs 75 lakh per family. “It was our moral duty to support not only the families of the deceased persons on its direct rolls, but also families of all deceased persons who were employed with its subcontractors,” Afcons said in a statement.
Afcons stated that it would ensure that the families of the deceased would receive a total compensation equivalent to a balance period of service up to 10 years' salaries through a combination of ex gratia pay-outs and insurance compensation.
While the modalities of the payments are being worked out, it is estimated that total compensation would range from Rs 35 lakhs up to Rs 75 lakhs per family.
The company added that it would also be setting up a Trust to support the educational needs of the children of the deceased through scholarships.
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