#Murud Beach Picnic Tragedy: Victims’ Parents Allege Negligence By #Abeda #Inamdar College

#Pune:  Parents of some of the college students who died in the drowning tragedy at Murud-Janjira beach on Monday have alleged “negligence” on the part of the college authorities in the aftermath of the incident.
A condolence meet organised by the Abeda Inamdar College this morning saw the parents of the victims gherao PA Inamdar, president of the Maharashtra Cosmopolitan Education Society (MCES), the group that runs the college.

The parents alleged that they were pushed out unceremoniously by the college authorities when they tried to seek an explanation for their “negligence”.

“I lost my daughter in the incident. On the tragic day, the college did not even notify me about the incident. It was us who bore the expenses of the ambulance vehicle in which my daughter’s body was carried to the city. The college did nothing,” Shakila Sayyad, mother of victim Safin Sayyad, said.

She further said, “No one from the institute was present in the hospital when the bodies were brought there after being fished out.”

A total of 116 students along with 11 faculty members from Abeda Inamdar College had come to Murud for a picnic.

Narsimha Rao, relative of deceased student Rajlaxmi Pandugayala, alleged, “The parents and relatives who went to Inamdar to seek an explanation were ill-treated. We were unceremoniously pushed out of his office.”

Heavy police deployment continued today at the college campus in order to avert any untoward incident.

Meanwhile, Savitribai Phule Pune University Vice-Chancellor WN Gade, who attended the condolence meet, said a detailed report would be sought from the college over the incident.

“We would see whether the guidelines laid down by the varsity regarding educational tours were followed during the picnic,” he said.

He announced an aid of Rs 1 lakh to the victims’ kin by the university.

“A high-level committee would be constituted to ascertain the details of the incident and that the bereaved families would be provided assistance,” Mr Inamdar told reporters after the condolence meet.

However, Mr Inamdar refuted the allegations saying the college management had arranged all the ambulances.

“All the ambulances were arranged by us and there was no negligence on the part of management and college while dealing with the issue,” Mr Inamdar  told reporters later.