Book contractor firm for barge tragedy: BJP

It is difficult to believe that the captain alone was responsible for this, says party MLA Ashish Shelar

Blaming the contractor firm Afcons Infrastructure for the loss of lives on Barge P-305, the BJP has demanded an FIR against it as culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The party also alleged that some people from the state government were trying to deny justice to the affected persons by leading the inquiry astray.

After a delegation of All Indian Shipping Employees met Mumbai Police Commissioner Hemant Nagrale in this regard, BJP MLA Ashish Shelar said that an FIR has been registered against barge captain Rakesh Ballav for putting the lives in danger by not moving the barge to a safer place. But it is difficult to believe that the captain alone was responsible for this. But the contractor firm is trying to avoid its responsibility and an FIR should be registered against them, he demanded.

“When the union government announced an inquiry into the incident, the spokesmen of Congress and NCP swiftly called a press meet to demand the resignation of the central minister concerned. It was enough to raise suspicions among us”,

Shelar said. He also asked as to why the captain alone was being blamed and attempts are being made to save owners of the firm Pallonji, directors Prem Shivan, Ashwini Kumar and Pai by the state government and the police. “Whom does the government want to save by registering crime against the captain who is missing and unable to put his side”, asked the BJP leader.