Tanur tragedy: Absconding boat driver held, he had no license, say police

MALAPPURAM: Dinesan, the driver of the boat ‘Atlantic’ which met with an accident in Tanur claiming the lives of 22 people, has been taken into custody. The driver, who was on the run for two days, was caught from Tanur. With this, the number of people arrested in the case rose to five. Another employee Rajan is absconding. The police are in the process of registering the arrest of Dinesan.

The police said the driver Dinesan did not have a license. The remand report said there were 37 people in the boat at the time of the accident. He also carried people on the deck of the boat without following norms. The boat had the capacity to carry only 22 people and carrying more than it is said to be the cause of the accident. The remand report also mentioned that the operator was aware that a big accident would happen.

The court had yesterday remanded the owner of the boat Nazar. He has been shifted to Tirur Sub Jail. Nazar was on the run after the accident and was arrested from Kozhikode. The police registered a murder case against Nazar under the non-bailable section.