13 Children Die as Boat Capsizes in Bihar’s Ganga River
At least 13 children lost their lives when a boat capsized on the Ganga River in Vaishali district of India’s Bihar state on Tuesday night, officials reported. The villagers onboard were heading to a feast in a neighboring village. According to local residents, the feast was taking place near Mata Maharani’s house, at Singheshwar Rai’s home in Bhagatan Tola (Rampur Shyamchand Panchayat). Around 20 people were on the small boat.
District official Varsha Singh of Vaishali stated that seven people were rescued and sent to Nalanda Medical College and Hospital. All the passengers on the boat were children aged 15 years or younger, she said. Some of the rescued individuals were transferred to Patna, the Bihar state capital, for further treatment.
Following protests against the administration, District Officer Singh visited the local hospital to assess the situation, where angry locals were raising slogans against the district administration. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary have announced compensation. Chief Minister Chaudhary expressed sorrow over the incident in an Instagram post: “The news of the boat accident in Raghopur, Vaishali, leading to the loss of innocent lives is extremely sad and heartbreaking. I extend my deep condolences to the grieving families during this difficult time. May God grant peace to the departed souls and strength to the bereaved families,” he wrote.
“The state government will provide INR 400,000 to each deceased family. The administration has been directed to expedite relief and rescue operations and ensure proper treatment for the injured.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund would provide INR 200,000 to the families of those who died and INR 50,000 to the injured. “The deaths caused by the boat accident in Vaishali, Bihar are deeply tragic. I convey my condolences to the grieving families at this difficult time and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured. The local administration is assisting the affected,” Modi said on social media platform X.
Tejashwi Yadav, MLA of Raghopur and leader of the opposition in the Bihar Legislative Assembly, expressed deep sorrow in a video message posted on X: “The heartbreaking news of the boat accident in Raghopur has left me deeply shocked. May God grant peace to the departed souls and strength to the bereaved families. I am currently in Delhi for a meeting of the Indian National Developmental Alliance. Once I reach Patna tomorrow, I will meet the affected families in my constituency,” he said.
