Year on, no closure for victims' families, accused roam scotfree

KOZHIKODE: Time hasn't healed the wounds of many families like Kunnummal family in Parappanangadi, Malappuram that lost 11 members in the Tanur boat tragedy as they are awaiting justice and accountability even after a year. The tragedy had seen 22 lives, including 15 children, perishing in the Poorapuzha near Thoovaltheeram estuary on May 7, 2023.
The disaster has forever altered the lives of Kunnummal Saidalavali, his brother Siraj and their mother Rukhiya.Their families were living in a small run-down house where laughter and gleeful chatter of their seven daughters used to ring loud. And now, an overwhelming sense of emptiness lingers in their new house built by IUML workers.
Saidalavi's wife Seenath (43) and their daughters Asna, Shamna, Shahla and Fida Dilna along with Siraj's wife Raseena (27) and the couple's daughters Zahra, Fathima Rushda and Nahra Fathima who had gone on a leisure trip had died after the boat 'Atlantic' capsized. Besides, Puthen Purakkal Kunnummal Jabir, also part of the family, had lost his wife Jalsia and son Jareer in the tragedy.
The boat, which was originally a fishing vessel, had been operating in violation of many norms. It was carrying 37 people on that fateful night, much beyond its maximum capacity.
Saidalavi says it was a man-made disaster and the delay in bringing those responsible to book is agonizing. "I have seen the accused, out on bail, moving around freely as if nothing happened while we are struggling to cope with our loss. I don't know the status of inquiries that were announced. I had recently been to a hearing of the judicial commission in Tanur and there I saw the prime accused sitting cross-legged through the proceedings," the 46-year-old says.
This new house of ours is a home for only onlookers. Moving to a new house was a dream for all of us, but the tragedy took away my wife and daughters along with all their dreams. Earlier, we used to say that it is Eid for us all year round, seeing the happiness and joy emanated by the little girls in our house. Now, with all of them gone, the house has fallen silent,” Saidalavi says. Saidalavi recounts that his daughters were good in studies and had high dreams in their lives.
“My elder daughter dreamt to become a nurse, but she was not there to see her good scores when the Plus Two results were announced,” he says. Saidalavi has a cupboard where he has kept the treasured belongings of her daughters, including the trophies they had won. “Those are all that remain of them and I would like to treasure them till my end, even though it is difficult for me to open the cupboard and look at them,” he says.
Saidalavi, who has been working as a fisherman for over three decades, says the failure of the govt machinery was pronounced in the incident as those who were bound to enforce the rules had failed miserably.
The boat didn’t have proper registration, its driver was inexperienced, a fishing boat was illegally altered to conduct passenger service and even the rule that the boat should not ply after 6pm was violated, he rues. He says his 65-year-old mother is yet to recover from the tragedy and has issues with sleep.
She now spends her time looking after goats whom she loves. Jabir has not gone for work for the past one year as his life now revolves around providing medical treatment to her two children who were rescued. Even on Monday, he had taken his 12-year-old daughter — who has issues with walking and speech after the mishap — to a private hospital in Kozhikode. He also struggles to meet the treatment costs.
Police had, in August, filed a chargesheet against 12 persons, including boat owner Nasser, senior port conservator at Beypore Port VV Prasad and chief surveyor at Alappuzha office V Sebastian Joseph. The court had granted bail to the accused while the judicial commission has held two sittings so far