MP High Court Closes PILs On Bargi Dam Boat Capsize After Constitution Of Judicial Inquiry Commission

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has closed a batch of PILs concerning a passenger boat capsize at Bargi Dam on Narmada river in Jabalpur, following State's submission that a Judicial Inquiry Commission headed by a former high court judge has been constituted to probe the incident. 

The Additional Advocate General HS Ruprah submitted  that the Commission of Inquiry has already requested for suggestions from public. He said that by order dated  01.05.2026, it has been directed that further operation in all Boat Clubs as well as Cruise across the State have been suspended till further orders. He further said that by order dated 06.05.2026, a safety audit of cruise boats of different units of M.P. Tourism have already been directed to be conducted apart from the complete security check and audit of infrastructure.

The petitioners sought leave to withdraw the petition with liberty to submit representation/provide suggestions to the Chairperson of the Judicial Inquiry Commission.

The division bench of Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Vinay Saraf thereafter said:

"In view of the above, the petitions are disposed of with liberty to the petitioners as prayed for. Needless to state, it would be open to the petitioner to raise further grievances if so warranted in future". 

The tragedy occurred on April 30 when a boat operated by the MP Tourism Board capsized during a storm at Bargi Dam. 28 passengers were rescued, but thirteen lives were lost. The incident had raised serious concerns regarding safety protocols, emergency preparedness and accountability in the operation of tourist cruises and recreational boating activities in the State. 

The State, represented by Additional Advocate General HS Ruprah, informed the court that a judicial inquiry commission has already been constituted under the Chairmanship of a former High Court judge. The commission's mandate included;

• Investigating the causes of the tragic incident and identifying accountability
• Reviewing rescue and relief measures undertaken during and after the incident. 
• Auditing all boats, cruises, and water-based activities in the State for compliance with the Inland Vessels Act, 2021 and NDMA Boat Safety Guidelines, 2017
• Drafting a uniform Standard Operating Procedure for the operation and maintenance of watercraft in MP
• Establishing a Quick Response Team at all locations where public water transport and recreational boating activities are conducted. 

One of the PILs filed by GP Mishra sought urgent judicial intervention to prevent further loss of life. The petitions highlighted a troubling pattern of accidents across the State, including major incidents at Bargi Dam, Matalia Dam, and the Seep River, resulting in multiple fatalities over the past few years. 

The PIL argued that these tragedies were largely preventable and stemmed from systematic negligence, including failure to enforce mandatory safety measures, absence of life jackets, inadequate weather monitoring and insufficient emergency preparedness. 

The petition emphasized that key safety measures such as passenger limits, GPS tracking, suspension of operations during hazardous weather, child-sized life jackets, and emergency response infrastructure remain inconsistently enforced. Reports also indicated that some vessels lacked proper resignation, insurance or environmental clearance, raising further accountability questions. 

Case Title: Kamal Kumar Rathi v State of Madhya Pradesh,

WP-16479 of 2026

For Petitioners: Senior Advocate Aditya Sanghi with Advocates Harpreet Singh Gupta, Gopesh Yash Tiwari, Alka Singh and Vinita Ahuja

For State: Additional Advocate General H.S. Ruprah with Advocate Adwitya Parasher

For Union: Advocate S.M. Guru

Click here to read/download the Order