Bihar boat tragedy: Leaders express condolences as death toll reaches 13

Patna, Oct 14 (IANS) Bihar Minister Ram Kripal Yadav and other NDA leaders on Wednesday expressed condolences over the tragic accident in which the death toll reached 13, including eight children, after a boat capsized in the Ganga River in Vaishali district, as rescue teams continued to search for missing persons.

Ram Kripal Yadav said the Leader of the Opposition (Tejashwi Yadav) should visit Raghopur, his constituency, to express condolences to the affected families.

“Raghopur is the Leader of the Opposition’s constituency. The incident is tragic, and he should visit the area to express condolences to the affected families, as he is their representative. I believe he is somewhere outside and will return soon,” the minister said.

BJP state president Sanjay Saraogi described the incident as tragic and said the government had announced relief for the affected families. He added that an investigation would be conducted into why the boat was operating at night and that action would be taken against those found responsible.

“It is a tragic incident in which several people, including innocent children, have died. The BJP expresses its condolences. The Prime Minister, BJP National President and Chief Minister have also expressed their condolences. Government relief has been announced, and an investigation will be conducted into why the boat was operating at night. Action will be taken against those found responsible,” Saraogi said.

JD(U) spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan said, “This is a heartbreaking, extremely tragic and painful incident. Innocent children have lost their lives, and the loss is irreparable for their families. The state government stands with the affected families in this hour of crisis. Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary has decided to provide an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the families of the deceased. Compensation will also be given to the families of the injured. However, it will not be easy to ease the pain of families who have lost their children.”

At least 13 people, including eight children, died after the boat capsized near Rampur Shyamchand village under the Raghopur police station area on Tuesday. The passengers were reportedly travelling to attend a feast.

According to preliminary information, between 15 and 20 people were aboard the boat when it overturned. Around half a dozen people were also reported injured, while the exact number of passengers and the final casualty count remain subject to official confirmation.

The rescue operation continued on Wednesday, with SDRF teams deploying six boats to search the river. Local residents also joined the efforts, using ropes tied to wooden logs and bamboo poles to retrieve the bodies.

The damaged boat, which had reportedly been temporarily repaired using plastic sheets, has been found.

The incident triggered panic in the area, prompting local residents and the administration to launch rescue efforts. An investigation is expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the accident, including why the boat was operating at night.

–IANS

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