Daijiworld News Network - Mangalore (MB)

Mangalore, Apr 7: Judge G S Honnaswami of III JMFC here has held boat contractor Lingappa and boatman Ramesh responisble for the boating tragedy on January 21, 2000. 

They have been charged with negligence in providing safeguard, with driver being charged with speeding and negligence. They have been awarded simple imprisonment of six months and also ordered pay a compensation of Rs 25,000 each to the bereaved families.

A school children's batch from St Ann's High School were on a holiday joy-ride on the contract boat over the Pilikula lake, when the boat had capsized. While most of the girls were saved or swam to safety, five teenaged girls, Ashwini, Anusha, Sushma Nayasn Prajna and Rovina Vas could not be saved.

Some youngsters around, including some locals, had taken great risk immediately and helped in saving as many girls as possible.

The tragedy has left the educational and social circles in a state of shock and daze for many days. Following the mishap, visitors' turnout also had suffered and boating trips were suspended for quite some time.