Several feared drowned as boat capsizes in Ganga

LUCKNOW: At least eight people were feared drowned when a boat carrying 25 people capsized in the Ganga in Bijnor district, about 400 kilometres northwest of Lucknow, on Friday afternoon.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath directed the police and district administration to start rescue and relief operation.

The CM asked the administration to provide all help to the families of the deceased and missing people. District magistrate, Bijnore, Atal Rai said 17 people had been rescued while search was on for 7 missing people. He said one body had been recovered.

SP Umesh Kumar Singh said the incident took place near Raja Rampur village at around 1.30 pm when villagers were crossing the overflowing river on a boat.

“It was the daily routine of the villagers to cross the river and come back after collecting grass from the other side of the village. The boatman apparently failed to gauge the intensity of water current and carried along the villagers,” he said. Singh added the rescued villagers had been admitted to the district hospital and added that a team of divers along with the personnel of police steamers unit were trying to find the missing people.

Relief commissioner Sanjay Kumar said that an NDRF team had reached the spot to carry out relief and rescue operations.

Major rivers in Uttar Pradesh were flowing at dangerous levels today, according to the Central Water Commission.

In another mishap in Bijnor district, a truck was swept away in Kotawali river.

All its occupants were rescued, police said.