Balasore: Barely a week after the Jabalpur boat tragedy that claimed 13 lives, Balasore MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi and several BJP workers were seen travelling in a boat near Talsari in Bhograi block of Odisha's Balasore district without wearing life jackets.

According to reports, the MP, along with nearly 20 BJP workers and leaders, travelled towards Bichitrapur in two boats from Talsari. Sarangi was reviewing tourism infrastructure development in the region. However, none of them was wearing life jackets.

The visuals have triggered public concern, especially in the wake of the recent Jabalpur boat tragedy in Madhya Pradesh. A tourist cruise boat had capsized in the Bargi Dam reservoir on April 30 during a severe storm, leaving 13 people dead, including women and children. Reports from the incident revealed that most passengers were not wearing life jackets when the accident occurred.

The incident of the MP travelling in the boat without wearing a life jacket has sparked criticism, with many questioning how public representatives themselves could travel in an unsafe manner despite awareness about the risks associated with boating without protective gear.