PATNA: At least eight persons were feared drowned after a small fishing boat carrying people more than its capacity, capsized in Koshi river under Town police station area of
Naugachia town in
Bhagalpur district on Sunday evening.
Naugachia SP Nidhi Rani said that that around eight people were still missing and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel have been deployed in the river for search and rescue operation.
She said that the incident took place at around 3.30pm. However SDRF personnel began search and rescue operation almost after four hours.
When Naugachia circle officer Uday Kumar Yadav was contacted by TOI at around 7.30pm, he said that SDRF personnel were installing generators to begin search and rescue operation.
He said that at least 15 people were loaded on the boat which was coming towards Naugachia from opposite side which falls in
Purnia district.
“Seven people were rescued and sent to Sadar Hospital for treatment,” he said.
Meanwhile, the SP said that there was a pontoon bridge hardly 400 meters away from the spot where the boat capsized.
“All the persons had went to attend a marriage ceremony in a village on the opposite side of the river. While going, they had used the bridge but during return, people decided to come together in a small boat which is generally used for fishing and was overloaded,” she said.
She said that a Bhagalpur-based SDRF team was deployed in the search and rescue operation.
“All the people on the boat were of different localities under the Town police station area,” she added.
Representative image.