Wullar Lake boat tragedy inqury reports submitted to Def Min

Handwara, Oct 15 (UNI) Navy Chief Admiral Arun Prakash today said the findings of the Army Court of Inquiry and the judicial probe ordered by the Jammu and Kashmir government into the boat capsize in Wullar Lake on May 30 in which 20 students and two staff members drowned have been submitted to the Defence Ministry last week.

Talking to journalists after laying the foundation stone of a 15-bed pediatric ward here, he said findings and recommendations of both the inquiries were very similar to each other.

''As requested by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, we will be acting on these reports in next few days,'' the Navy Chief added.

He assured that whatever action deemed necessary under law would be taken so that those responsible for the mishap were punished.

''This unfortunate and painful incident should not have happened at the first place. All efforts would be made to prevent recurrence of such accidents,'' the Navy Chief said.

Admiral Prakash ruled out any connection between the construction of the pediatric ward and the probe into the tragedy and also rubbished the claims that the Navy did not cooperate with the state inquiry commission.

''I have read the reports and there is no mention that the Navy did not cooperate with the inquiry,'' he added.

The Navy Chief said never in history had an inquiry been completed in such a record short time.

District and Sessions Judge Syed Tariq Ahmed Naqshbandi, who was appointed as the inquiry officer into the incident by the state government, had recently submitted his report in which he held four Navy personnel posted at Wullar Lake Marine Commandos (MARCOS) unit and the Principal of the Burning Candle School, Handwara responsible for the accident and recommended Rs four lakh as compensation to the families of the deceased.

UNI AG SK KP1606