Tarun Karthick
Campbell Bay, 22 November 2024
Tragedy struck the Andaman and Nicobar Islands last Friday morning when a fatal bus accident at Rest Camp claimed two lives on the spot. As the week unfolded, the death toll rose to four, deepening the grief of the community. Yet, in this hour of mourning, the silence from the A & N Administration has been deafening—no public condolence and no expression of solidarity with the grieving families.
A Tragedy Foretold
Investigations by Nicobar Times revealed that the bus involved in the accident had no business being on the road. Its registration had been canceled, and its fitness certificate had long expired. This damning revelation sparked widespread outrage, casting a harsh spotlight on the Transport Department and the broader administration for their failure to prevent such a disaster.
Under public scrutiny, calls have intensified for the prosecution of senior officials, including the Secretary and Director of Transport. The operation of an unfit and deregistered bus under their watch raises serious questions about their competence, accountability, and the systemic negligence that allowed this tragedy to occur.
Sham Inquiry Adds Insult to Injury
In response to the uproar, the Transport Department hastily announced an internal inquiry. However, the decision to entrust this investigation to two Junior Engineers within the same department was seen as nothing more than a token gesture—a move designed to deflect blame rather than deliver justice. The inquiry report, due on 18th November, remains unpublished, further eroding public trust.
Will the Powerful Evade Accountability?
This tragedy highlights a troubling pattern within the A & N Administration: systemic complacency and a lack of accountability. The question remains whether high-ranking officials who either enabled or ignored the operation of unfit buses will face justice, or if the blame will be shifted to junior employees to shield the powerful from prosecution.
The Islanders deserve answers. The families of the victims deserve justice. And the community deserves an administration that takes responsibility for its failures. Yet, as the days pass without action or acknowledgment, the silence from the A & N Administration grows more damning.
Four lives have been lost. Their deaths cannot be in vain. Will this tragedy finally serve as a wake-up call for accountability, or will it be another example of justice denied?