19 DEAD AS BOAT CAPSIZES IN UP’S BAGHPAT
MEERUT: At least 19 people drowned in Yamuna river as their boat capsized while reaching Haryana from Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday morning. The death toll is expected to rise. At least 50 people were on the boat when it overturned. Around 10 people swam to safety, while about 31 passengers are missing. District administration and villagers carried out rescue operations. ››
MEERUT: At least 19 people drowned in Yamuna river as their boat capsized while reaching Haryana from Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday morning. The death toll is expected to rise.
At least 50 people were on the boat when it overturned. Around 10 people swam to safety, while about 31 passengers are missing. District administration and villagers carried out rescue operations.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief overthe incidentandannounced ₹2 lakh relief for victims’ kin. He said a probe has been ordered into the incident.
Union minister and MP from Baghpat Dr Satyapal Singh reached the accident spot and expressed grief over the deaths.
Angry locals brought traffic on Delhi-Saharanpur highway to a standstill.
They put the bodies on the road, pelted stones at the police and torched a few vehicles.
At least six persons including Bagpat Kotwali inspector, a woman cop and an orderly of SDM were injured in the stone pelting.
Additional forces were deployed in the area to disperse the violent mob.
ADGKumarsaidthatthesitu- ation was under control.
The boat had a capacity for only 35 passengers, said district magistrate Bhawani Singh.
“The boat was ferrying passengers more than its capacity. Most of the passengers of the illfated boat were women. As soon as the boat reached mid-stream it capsized,” the district magistrate said.
ADGofMeerutzonePrashant Kumar said that 11 of the injured were under treatment in different hospitals.
He said that a magisterial enquiry will be conducted.
Villagers from Kantha in Baghpat take the boat every day to work.