VARANASI: Two persons died while five children were missing after a boat engaged in Ganga flood relief operations capsized due to alleged overloading near Athahatha village under the limits of Revatipur police station in Ghazipur district late Wednesday afternoon.
The incident took place a few hours after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited Ghazipur to take stock of flood relief operations. Expressing grief, the CM has extended condolences to the aggrieved families.
Taking a serious note of the tragedy, the CM has also issued strict directives to the district administration and police to engage teams of NDRF, SDRF and others for rescue operations.
Varanasi Zone ADG Ram Kumar, who was monitoring the ongoing rescue operation, said, “Two persons died while five children are missing in the Ghazipur incident. Other 18 persons on board succeeded in coming out of the water safely. The DM and SP of Ghazipur are camping at the site to monitor the search operations in which teams of NDRF, SDRF and local divers have been engaged.”
Locals said that Athahatha village was marooned following flood in the river Ganga. After buying necessary articles, some villagers had boarded a boat engaged in relief operations. Before the boat could depart, many labourers also forced their away onto it, though the boatman repeatedly requested them to avoid overloading as the boat had the capacity to carry only seven-eight persons. However, people present there forced him to sail the boat and take them to Athahatha village.
With 25 persons on board, the boat sailed towards Athahatha. However, while passing through inundated fields of the village, the boat capsized. While 18 persons succeeded in coming out of the water safely, two died before the locals could rescue them. Five children, who were on board, were reported to be missing.
On getting information, police teams from Revatipur reached the spot and intensified the rescue operation with the help of locals. According to the police, the two deceased were identified as Shiv Shankar Gond (45) and Nagina Paswan (72) of Athahatha village. Search operations were on for the five missing children aged between 10 and 12 years.
