More than 20 feared drowned in Naugachhia boat tragedy in Bihar

At least 20 people are feared drowned when an overloaded carrying over 50 passengers capsized in the middle of Ganga river at around 10.30 am on Thursday, police said.

Around 25 other passengers were rescued by villagers while the bodies of two women were also recovered. A team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) has launched a rescue operation for the missing people who were swept away by the strong current.

Police and district administration officials rushed the spot and began rescue operations soon after the boat capsized.

A team of professional swimmers were engaged to locate the missing persons. “The Immediate help by other villagers saved many lives,” said a police officer.

Among the passengers were farmers, milkman and labourers from Manjhi Ghat who were on their way to Tintanga Karari Diara .

According to DM Pranav Kumar, two bodies of women recovered while 10 of those rescued were admitted to Sadar Hospital

The mishap occurred near Teen-Tanga Jahaj Ghat under Gopalganj police station of Naugachhia police district, about 135 Km from the state capital, after a mild stampede in the overloaded boat spread panic leading to the capsize, police said.

Naugachhia’s superintendent of police Swapna Ji Meshram said, “The capsized boat carried mostly a group of farmers who were going to a nearby village to cultivate crops. Though the reason behind the incident was yet to be ascertained, initial police investigation stated that people all of a sudden started moving to one side of the boat when it lost control,” she said.