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At least 11 people, including children, were killed after a boat capsized in the Ganga River in India’s Bihar state on Tuesday evening.
The accident occurred near Rampur Shyamchand village in the Raghopur area of Vaishali district when the boat was reportedly carrying 15–20 people travelling to attend a feast in a neighbouring village.
Most of the victims were children and teenagers. According to preliminary reports, the boat lost its balance and overturned while crossing the river.
Local residents rushed to the scene to help rescue passengers and alert the authorities.
District police and teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were deployed to conduct search and rescue operations.
Several passengers were rescued, while officials continued searching for those reported missing.
The exact number of people aboard the boat remained unclear, and the circumstances surrounding the accident were yet to be fully established.
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary expressed grief over the loss of lives and announced compensation of Rs 400,000 for the family of each deceased person.
He also directed the authorities to expedite rescue operations and ensure proper medical treatment for the injured.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences to the bereaved families and announced financial assistance of Rs 200,000 for the next of kin of each deceased person and Rs 50,000 for each injured person from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund.
The accident has raised concerns over boat safety, as restrictions reportedly apply to boat operations at night in the area.
Rescue operations were continuing, with authorities working to establish the final death toll and identify the viperson