PATNA: At least 14 people have died after a passenger boat capsized in the Ganga River near Rampur Shyamchand village in Bihar’s Vaishali district, India. Women and children are believed to be among the victims.
According to the latest update provided by Raghopur legislator and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav, six people have been admitted to hospital, while three others have been rescued safely. The incident occurred within the jurisdiction of the Raghopur police station, according to Indian media reports.
Preliminary reports suggest that some children had boarded the boat to attend a feast and were returning when the vessel overturned in the river. Initial reports had put the death toll at between five and eight.
Vaishali District Magistrate Varsha Singh had earlier confirmed 11 deaths to India Today. However, Yadav subsequently reported that 14 bodies had been recovered.
Further details about the circumstances of the accident and the identities of the victims are awaited.