Politics · India Bureau
13 children die as boat capsizes in Bihar's Ganga river
At least 13 children, all under 15 years old, perished when a passenger boat overturned in the Ganga river in Vaishali district on Tuesday evening. The vessel was carrying around 20 people, mostly from a nearby village, when the tragedy struck.
LSN India ·
The incident occurred around 8:30 pm near Raghopur police station in Vaishali district, approximately 70 kilometers from the district headquarters. According to District Magistrate Varsha Singh, the boat was carrying between 15 and 20 passengers, predominantly children, when it capsized. All 13 victims recovered so far were below 15 years of age, she confirmed.
The passengers, mainly residents of Rampur Shyamchand village, were traveling across the river to attend a feast when the accident happened. Exact details of what caused the boat to overturn remain unclear as rescue operations continue. Local divers and emergency teams have been mobilized to search for any remaining missing persons.
In response to the tragedy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh to the families of each deceased. Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary announced an additional state compensation of Rs 4 lakh per bereaved family. Rescue and recovery operations were ongoing at the site as authorities worked to establish the precise number of passengers aboard and account for all individuals involved in the incident.