Patna: Overloaded boat capsizes in Ganga; Death toll rises to 23

Patna: In a major mishap, at least 23 people drowned and around 20 others went missing on Saturday evening after a boat with 40 aboard capsized in the river Ganga here.

The boat, which reportedly was overloaded, capsized near the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Ghat in Patna.

According to the sources, the number of causalities in the mishap is expected to rise further. NDRF and SDRF teams have reached to the sport and have already launched the rescue operations.

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Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, expressing shock over the incident, ordered a high-level probe into the incident. He has also directed the principal secretary of the disaster management, Pratyay Amrit, Patna DIG Shalin and Patna DM Sanjay Kumar Agrawal to immediately leave for the mishap spot and personally monitor the rescue operations.

He also assured to announce an ex-gratia to the next kin of deceased persons soon. According to the guidelines of the state, a compensation of Rs 4 lakh is paid to the families of the persons who die in any kind of disaster in the state.

Nitish Kumar also asked the probe team to ascertain the reason behind such a huge number of people travelling to that particular area where the boat capsized.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh to the family of each deceased and Rs 50 thousand each to the injured.

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He has also called off all programmes scheduled to be held in the Diara area, where the mishap took place, in the coming days.