Digha: A tourist from East Burdwan died on Saturday morning after being struck by a speedboat at Digha’s Sihakghola Ghat. Digha Mohana police have launched a probe and seized the speedboat.Police said the deceased, Sheikh Bapan, had travelled to Digha with a group of friends for a weekend trip. Witnesses said Bapan and his friends had gone out into the sea to bathe when a speedboat rammed into him. He sustained critical injuries and was rushed to Digha State General Hospital, where he was declared brought dead.“We are trying to contact the agency that operates the speedboat to ascertain how the accident occurred. A thorough investigation is underway,” said Contai SDO Dhumal Pratik Ashok.The administration had issued an advisory earlier on Saturday warning tourists to stay away from the sea due to a rough weather forecast. According to locals, conditions improved by late morning, and several tourists entered the water despite the warning. The incident has renewed scrutiny of Digha’s commercial boating activities, which have faced criticism in the past over inadequate safety regulation. Locals say a similar incident had occurred three years ago, when a speedboat reportedly struck and critically injured another tourist.
