Boat operators jeopardize dozens of passengers, two arrested
PT Report
Gulmit, August 20: The police in Gulmit have reportedly arrested two boat operators for risking lives of dozens of passengers by willfully colliding their boats in middle of the 300 feet deep and 25 kilometer long dammed Hunza River.
According to eye witnesses two boats carrying dozens of passengers were heading in opposite directions in the in dammed Hunza River. When the boat operators saw each other they changed course and brought the boats close to each other. They exchanged hot words and abuses and collided the boats in anger. Children sitting in the boat fell to the floor, according to a person who was traveling in the boat. Luckily neither of the two boats overturned.
Shocked and angered young passengers tried to thrash operator of the boat heading towards Gulmit from the lake barrier but local elders stopped the youth from taking the law into their hand.
On complaint of passengers the police have reportedly filed cases against the boat operators and taken them into custody for investigation.
The local people are suffering at the hands of boat operators who are charging 150 rupees per passenger in absence of the government operated boats, which have been closed due to shortage of fuel.
The hedonistic boat operators misbehave with the passengers and risk their lives regularly but the administration has not been able to stop them.
People are accusing the administration of taking bribes from the boat operators and letting them lose to systematically rob the already devastated commuters. The local people have demanded of the deputy commissioner Hunza – Nagar, home secretary and chief secretary of Gilgit – Baltistan to investigate the allegations of bribery and take stern action against the anti-social elements.
