Close shave for Ganguly's relatives in Puri sea
Puri: Former Indian cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly's elder brother Snehasish Ganguly and wife Arpita had a narrow escape while enjoying a speedboat ride in Puri sea, prompting the district administration to order an inquiry. Though the incident occurred on May 24 evening, it came to light on Monday.
Puri District Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain said, 'I have ordered an inquiry to look into the circumstances leading to the mishap. If lapses are found with the operator in terms of safety protocols, action will be taken.' Official sources said Sky Drive Adventure and Water Sports, a private operator, was granted permission by Odisha Coastal Zone Management Authority to conduct water sports activities.
Puri SP Vinit Agarwal said, 'Though the mishap occurred on Saturday afternoon, family members did not lodge any formal complaint at the nearby police station. After being informed, we contacted the family, and legal action will be taken if there are any lapses on the operator's part. The local Baliapanda police station has been asked to verify whether the incident occurred due to natural reasons or human error.'
Meanwhile, a video footage aired by local television channels showed the boat being hit by a massive wave, losing balance and capsizing in the turbulent waters. 'We were saved by the grace of God. I am still in trauma. This should not happen, and water sports in the sea must be properly regulated. I will write to Puri SP and Odisha Chief Minister after returning to Kolkata,' Arpita said in a video.
Recounting the ordeal, she said the boat was struck by a wave almost 10-storey high, which led to the vessel flipping over, throwing all passengers — including her and Snehasish — into the sea. 'Thankfully, prompt action of lifeguards saved our lives,' she added. Local police said lifeguards deployed on the beach rushed to the spot and rescued the tourists on board. They used rubber floats to ensure the tourists' safety.
A visibly shaken Arpita blamed the mishap on the 'greed' of the adventure sports operators. She alleged that the boat was unstable, with only four passengers aboard a vessel designed for 10, making it unbalanced and ill-equipped to withstand the heavy tide.
'Due to less weight, the boat lost balance and could not encounter the huge wave. The sea was already very rough,' she said, adding that adventure activities need to be stopped because of strong currents in Puri sea. Arpita said, 'The operators assured us it was safe. But shortly after venturing out, a huge wave hit the boat and it capsized.' Demanding that the government should tighten regulations on water sports, Arpita said the authorities should consider banning such activities here.
Locals claimed that the speedboat was operated by untrained staff working under a private adventure company. 'The crew lacked proper skills to handle high tides and the company ignored essential safety protocols mandated for such activities,' an eyewitness said. It was further alleged that the company was conducting water sports without requisite permission from the Puri district administration.
Sources said the private operator had obtained a 'No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Wildlife Division, Puri, District Tourism Officer, Puri, and Puri Police. It was also granted permission to undertake sea sports activities from Odisha Coastal Zone Management Authority, sources said.
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