PANAJI: The Panaji police have registered a first information report (FIR) against weed cutting machine operator in the June 26 incident wherein the machine had turned turtle in the St Inez creek.
Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) Mayor Surendra Furtardo and 6 others including the machine operator Suraj Kumar Bind had a lucky escape in the incident.
The police has registered an FIR against 21-year-old Bind under IPC sections 287 (negligent conduct with respect to machinery) and 280 (rash navigation of vessel).
The police said that the FIR has been registered following a court directive after Advocate Aires Rodrigues approached the court seeking to register an FIR.
It may be recalled that following the incident, Panaji police on behalf of the state had registered it under ‘other accidents’ and had initiated an inquiry.
The police had earlier recorded statements of Furtardo, Bind and others in connection with the case. Bind had reportedly told the police that he had informed Furtardo that the machine cannot take more than two persons at a time, however he ignored the warning.
But Furtardo had denied any kind of negligence on his part and had claimed that he was not told about the carrying capacity of the machine.
It was an incident and not deliberately done, Furtado had told the police.