55 bodies recovered after boat capsize, hunt on for more

LUCKNOW - Rescue workers had pulled out 55 bodies from the Ganges in Uttar Pradesh’s Ballia district and were still searching for those missing after a boat packed with people capsized in the river, police said Tuesday, a day after the tragedy.

“Till now, we have taken 55 bodies out of the river. Some people are still missing,” Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Badri Nath Tiwari told IANS on telephone from Ballia, about 300 km from Lucknow.

“Those killed were 17 men, 17 women and 21 children. The search operation, which was called off yesterday (Monday) night, resumed today (Tuesday) morning and is being carried out with the assistance of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), the river police and the divers,” he said.

According to police, those in the boat were going midstream to perform rituals related to the mundan (tonsure) ceremony of their children. Some people managed to swim ashore.

Though police and district authorities believe there were around 65 people in the boat when the accident took place Monday near Ujwalia bank in Ballia, the exact number of people on the boat is yet to be ascertained.

“It’s difficult for us to tell the exact number…Those on the boat were from different villages…With the statements of the survivors, we estimated that there were around 65 people on the boat. The total number of people at the time of the accident could be much more,” District Magistrate Senthil Pandiyan told reporters.

According to police, the accident took place because of overloading.

“The boat could only ferry 25-30 people. But at the time of accident, the boat had people twice its capacity,” inspector Shobhnath Yadav told reporters.

Ram Sumer, 50, a survivor, said: “The boat’s condition was also very bad. It was an old one. When the boat flipped over, the boatman fled instead of saving us.”

The state government has announced compensation of Rs.1 lakh to the families of each of the deceased.