SAMBALPUR: Police on Saturday arrested president of Lions Club here Ramesh Agrawal in connection with February 9 Hirakud boat tragedy , which claimed 31 lives.

Agrawal was arrested under sections 280 (rash navigation of vessel to endanger human life), 282 (conveying people in unsafe and overloaded vessel) and 304 A (culpable homicide) and 114 (abettor of the offence) of IPC, police said.

A power boat, carrying a picnic party of Sambalpur, had capsized in Hirakud. Of the 31 dead, 30 were members of the club and their relatives. The accident occurred while they were on their way back after enjoying picnic at Marang dunguri, an island inside the reservoir.

Three persons Anjan Parua, 25, Akshaya Rana, 21, and Satya Narayan Pandey, 46, have already been arrested in the case. While Parua and Rana are boatmen, Pandey was boat owner. Police said the club president was equally responsible for the incident as being the organizer of the picnic party he did not take proper safety measures.

"We have forwarded him to court," IIC of Hirakud police station Biswapati Panda said. Panda said being the organizer of the picnic, the accused had put lives of the deceased in danger by taking them in an unsafe boat, which was not equipped with security kits and life jackets.

RDC (northern division) is probing the matter on the direction of government. The administrator is supposed to submit the report by end-April.

