At least 21 people were killed, including some minors, when a boat capsized on the Ganga here on Saturday, with several people still missing as the rescue operation was halted late at night.
Efforts are on to look for possible survivors and bodies. Amrit, DIG Shalin and Patna District Magistrate Sanjay Kumar Aggarwal are camping at the river bank, close to which the tragedy occurred, to supervise the rescue operation.
However, the rescue operation was halted late at night and resumed early morning today.
Here are the live updates:
* Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar orders probe, announces ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh for next of kin of those deceased
* FIR lodged against management of amusement park
* Bihar: FIR lodged against boat operator in Sonpur Police Station
* Death toll rises to 24; search and rescue operations underway.
* PM announces ex-gratia from PMNRF of Rs 2 lakh for next of kin of those deceased & Rs.50,000 for those seriously injured
Patna District Magistrate Sanjay Kumar Aggarwal told reporters said prima facie it appears that the boat capsized either due to overloading or collision with another country boat, mid-water.
Around 40 people were said to be onboard the country boat when it capsized near NIT ghat in the evening. Only eight people have been rescued.
The passengers were returning to Ranighat in Patna from Sabalpur diara across the river after watching a kite festival on occasion of 'Makar Sankranti'.
The DM said the tragedy occurred around 200 metre from Sambalpur diara (riverine) area on another side of Ganga which falls under Sonepur area of Saran district.
Aggarwal said it has come to light that these people had gone for am unauthorised 'Disneyland fair' near Sambalpur diara area in Saran district and boarded the country boat to return to Patna side when mishap occurred mid-stream.
A few on the ill-fated boat swam to safety, while some families said their fellow members had gone missing after the accident.
Nine persons have been admitted to Patna Medical College Hospital. Family members of the deceased and those missing were seen wailing at the ghat.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed grief over the tragedy after which his programme scheduled for tomorrow in the Bihar capital was postponed. .
"PM expressed grief on the loss of lives caused by the boat tragedy in Bihar. He extended condolences to the bereaved families," the Prime Minister's office tweeted.
In the wake of the tragedy, a programme to mark the start of redevelopment work of Mahatma Gandhi Setu in Patna which he was to address via video conferencing was also postponed, the PMO said.
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