3 drown, 4 go missing asboat capsizes in Ganga

Patna: Three people drowned and four others went missing after a boat carrying 14 passengers capsized in the Ganga river in the Umanath area of Barh in Patna district on Thursday morning. Local boatmen and divers rescued seven people from the river.

The deceased were identified as Neelam Kumari, 30, Shravan Mahto, 36, and Kashi Kumar, 15. Shravan and Kashi were father and son. The injured included Rahul Kumar, Mamta Devi, Kabutri Kumari and a 16-year-old girl. The identities of the remaining rescued persons were yet to be confirmed. All the passengers were residents of Masoomganj Bind Toli under Barh police station area.

According to officials, around 5.45am, 14 residents of Bind Toli had left by boat for Sultanpur diara in Mohiuddinagar of Samastipur district. Locals frequently travel to the area for farming activities and to pluck vegetables. While returning, the boat capsized allegedly due to strong winds and overloading. There was no safety equipment on board.

Survivors said the boat began wobbling in the middle of the river. “Before we could understand anything, the boat sank. The current was so strong that some people were swept away. We didn’t even get a chance to save them,” a survivor said.

On seeing the boat sink, nearby boatmen and local divers jumped into the river and rescued seven people. The survivors were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. An SDRF team has launched a search operation for the missing passengers.

Patna DM Thiyagrajan S M said, “People often go there to pluck pointed gourd and for other farming work. While returning, the boat capsised near Sultanpur Diara, Samastipur, due to strong winds. The district administrations of Samastipur and Patna are coordinating the rescue operation.”