Sourav Ganguly's brother Snehasish and his wife Arpita narrowly escaped a speedboat accident in Puri, prompting calls to ban water sports amid rough sea conditions.
Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly's brother Snehasish Ganguly and his wife Arpita Ganguly had a close shave on Sunday after a speedboat they were riding in capsized in the sea off Puri beach, Odisha. The couple, on a holiday in the coastal town, were participating in a water sports activity when the incident occurred.
A video of the incident has gone viral, showing the speedboat overturned in the rough sea as lifeguards rushed to rescue the passengers. Officials reportedly used rubber floats to bring the stranded tourists, including the Gangulys, back to safety.
Related Articles
“If the lifeguards had not come, we would not have been saved”
Arpita Ganguly recounted the terrifying moments and alleged negligence by the boat operators.
"The sea was already very rough. There was a capacity of 10 people on the boat, but due to the greed for money, they allowed only three to four people on board. This was the last boat to go into the sea for the day. We had raised concerns over going into the sea, but the operators told us that it is fine," Ganguly shared.
She added that a massive wave struck the boat soon after they ventured into the sea, causing it to flip.
"If the lifeguards had not come, we would not have been saved. I'm still in trauma... never faced something like this. If there were more people on the boat, maybe it would not have flipped," she said.
Demand for Action Against Boat Operators
Calling the incident a result of reckless operations, Arpita Ganguly demanded stricter scrutiny of watersport operators at Puri beach.
"Authorities should ban these sports here. Puri beach has a very rough sea. I will write a letter to the Superintendent of Police and the Chief Minister once I go back to Kolkata, asking them to stop watersports here," she said.
IMD Forecasts Rough Weather for Coastal Odisha
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy rainfall in coastal Odisha this week due to a low-pressure area likely to form over the west-central and adjoining north Bay of Bengal.
Rain is expected in Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, and Koraput districts on Tuesday, and in Puri, Khurdah, Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, and Malkangiri districts on Wednesday.
The regional weather office has forecast light to moderate rain and thundershowers across several parts of the state from Monday to Friday. Wind speeds may exceed 45 kmph along and off the Odisha coast, and fishermen have been advised against venturing into the deep sea from Wednesday.
