Murud picnic tragedy: Parents of victims demand action against Savitribai Phule Pune University

The parents had written to the Prime Minister and chief minister’s offices, but claim justice has been delayed as the administration has developed a lax approach towards the case

Parents of the fourteen victims of Abeda Inamdar College, who had gone to Murud Janjira beach for a picnic and were swept away by the high tide, have demanded action against Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) for failing to act against the administration of the Azam Campus after being indicted for laxity by the university probe committee.

Late Kumari Swapnali Salgar Memorial Trust, founded by Shivaji Salgar, father of victim Swapnali, donated ~1 lakh to Pooja Khandekar for education of her four daughters. (Ravindra Joshi/HT PHOTO)

The incident had taken place on February 1, 2016. The parents had written to the Prime Minister and chief minister’s offices, but claim justice has been delayed as the administration has developed a lax approach towards the case.

Shivaji Salgar, the father of Swapnali, one of the victims, said, “The university committee on June 23, 2016, had held the college and its head responsible for demonstrating absolute negligence during the picnic. Since then, the parents are regularly following up the with the university during the past four years, however, they have not taken action against culprits.”

Prafulla Pawar, registrar, SPPU, said, “We have taken action under the university ordinance in connection with the case.” However, in April 2019, the SPPU administration had issued a notice to the college administration asking it to pay Rs 3 lakh each to the next of the kin of the 14 students who died in the tragedy and also listed the names of 12 erring staffers to be reprimanded.

PA Inamdar, chairman of Maharashtra Cosmopolitan Education Society (MCES),, said, “The action by the SPPU of seeking fine from us is illegal and the matter is in the court and subjudice so I cannot say much about it.”

“ We have written to the Prime Minister and chief minister’s offices and state human rights commission seeking action against university for derailing justice, but the government agencies have failed to take action,” added Salgar.

Shakila Sayed, mother of Farheen, one of the victims, alleged, “The university has failed to take action against the college authorities. After the incident when we went to the college authorities to seek justice, we were insulted.”