The court also allowed the parents of deceased students to intervene in the case pertaining to the washing away of 24 B Tech students of VNR Vigyan Jyoti Institute of Engineering and Technology, Hyderabad, and a co-tour operator in Beas river near Thalout in Mandi district on June 8 due to sudden discharge of water from Larji hydropower project.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir and Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan passed these orders on a petition taking suo moto cognisance of news reports of the tragic incident.
The Advocate General informed the court that challan had been issued against the accused persons before the Judicial Magistrate, Mandi.
An intervener Ajay Mohan Goel pointed out to the court the negligence of two Assistant Professors of the college C V Ram Babu and V N M Rao in identification of the dead bodies, citing the affidavit of the Chief Secretary.
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The professors had identified a male dead body found on June 19 as that of M Shiva Prakash, which was handed over to his parents. But another dead body was recovered on July 13 in decomposed state with belongings of M Shiva Prakash. The body was sent to Hyderabad and according to the report of Forensic Science Laboratory there, on the basis of DNA test, the body was that of Shiva Prakash.
The court has directed the respondents to clear the air on the subject within 4 weeks.
The court also directed the Chief Secretary to file affidavit after meeting the concerned departments on steps taken by the government and also asked the parties to suggest measures to prevent such mishaps in future and posted the matter for November 17 next.