Four arrested in Vadodara boat tragedy, total arrests now 13

Vadodara: Four more persons were arrested on Monday in connection with the horrific boat accident on Motnath Lake in Vadodara on January 18, which killed 12 students and two teachers, officials said.

The incident has now resulted in 13 arrests.

The latest arrests include three partners of Kotia Projects, the company contracted by the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) to manage the lake's recreation zone, along with a subcontractor, officials said.

The Kotia Projects personnel were identified as Jatin Doshi, alongside his daughters-in-law Neha Doshi and Tejal Doshi. Subcontractor, Nilesh Jain, who was also taken into custody, was brought in by Paresh Shah, the primary accused, to oversee the operation of the recreation zone.

The incident, which occurred during a picnic organized by New Sunrise School, led to the registration of a case under Sections 304 i.e. culpable homicide not amounting to murder and 308 i.e. attempt to commit culpable homicide of the Indian Penal Code.

While 14 lives were lost, 20 individuals, including 18 students and two teachers, were rescued.

The Vadodara civic body, in its complaint to the police, highlighted several shortcomings of Kotia Projects, notably the inadequate maintenance of boats, and the lack of sufficient life-saving gear and life jackets, underscoring the negligence that led to the catastrophe.

Jatin Doshi and his daughters-in-law hold a 5 per cent stake in Kotia Projects, which was responsible for managing the lake's boating and other recreational facilities. Paresh Shah, closely related to Kotia's partners, subcontracted Jain for the recreation area's operation.

Shah, who was in charge of Kotia Projects' comprehensive operations, was apprehended on January 25. Of the 19 individuals named in the FIR, 13 have been arrested, while six, including Paresh Shah's son Vatsal, remain fugitives.

With inputs from IANS