Sri Vijay Puram, April 23: Sri Vijay Puram, April 23: A visit to the scenic North Bay, famed for its crystal-clear waters and adventurous water sports like snorkeling and scuba diving, turned tragic on Tuesday as a 74- year-old tourist lost his life during a snorkeling session. The incident has sparked serious questions over safety enforcement, as initial reports suggest negligence and a breach of age-related safety protocols by the snorkeling team.
Following this incident, an FIR has been registered at Police Station Bambooflat against the concerned snorkelling team at North Bay. The incident occurred when at approximately 2:30 PM, the family of the deceased named Mahavir Singh Baghel participated in snorkelling at North Bay. Following the activity, the said tourist suddenly began experiencing difficulty in breathing. The Tourist Safety Enforcement Team placed him in a speedboat and transported the family to Marine Jetty, from where he was taken by ambulance to GB Pant Hospital. At around 3:30 PM, Baghel passed away.
Police have recorded the statement of the deceased’s son-Surya Prakash Singh Baghel, an Assistant Commissioner in GST, Jabalpur, who was present on the occasion and was visiting North Bay with the family. It further noted that the incident occurred due to the sudden deterioration of the health condition of the deceased. The statement was recorded at GB Pant Hospital at 6:30 PM in the presence of Kamla Baghel, the deceased’s wife. It also stated that the concerned snorkelling team at North Bay violated the guidelines, which prohibit individuals above 60 years of age from participating in snorkelling activities. Based on this violation, the FIR was registered suo motu by SHO Rizwan Hassan of PS Bambooflat under Sections 106(1), 223, and 3(5) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.
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