Banda boat tragedy: Seventeen people are still missing while three bodies have been fished out, police said a day after a boat capsized in the Yamuna here. Police confirmed that 13 people swam to safety as rescuers continue searching for those missing.
Ramkaran and Sunil, who swam to safety, said they had set out to their in-laws’ place with their wives to celebrate Raksha Bandhan when the boat overturned in the river at Samagara village in the district.
The incident took place when the boat was going from Marka to Jarauli Ghat in Fatehpur district.
"When we reached the bank of the river, there was only one boat. It was around 3.10 pm and there was a rush of people crossing the river. About 50 people boarded the boat, which was also carrying three bikes and six cycles," Ramkaran said.
K P Yadav, who is among the survivors, said he was going to Lucknow to her sister’s place for Raksha Bandhan. He managed to overcome the river current with the help of bamboo, Yadav said.
Brijrani and Geeta Devi said as soon as the boat reached the midstream, it started shaking and in the blink of an eye it overturned. Superintendent of Police Abhinandan told PTI that NDRF and SDRF divers recovered three bodies 200 metres way from the spot where the boat capsized. On Thursday, police had said that at least four people died in the accident.
Sources in the district administration said the boat was not registered with the authorities. District Magistrate Anurag Patel said SDRF teams were called from Prayagraj and Lucknow.
The administration also brought two generators to the river bank for proper lighting, a senior official said, adding that three ambulances were also called along with a team of doctors.
The boatman, who swam to safety, was questioned by police about the mishap. Officials said he is present with the senior officials at the river bank to provide necessary information to help the divers conducting the rescue operation.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed officials to give a financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh to the kin of the each dead from the Disaster Relief Fund.
Meanwhile, villagers said they have been demanding a bridge at Marka Ghat for long. They said during the BSP regime in the past, projects for bridges were passed on the Yamuna river in Augasi and Marka.
Though the Augassi bridge has been built, the work on the Marka bridge is still incomplete. Had the work been completed, people’s live would have been saved, they said.
Hundreds of people cross the Ken and Yamuna rivers flowing through Banda district. In 1995, six people had died when a boat capsized in the Yamuna river in the Marka area.
In 2019, three people drowned when a boat overturned in the Ken river. Besides, there have also been some minor incidents of boat capsizing in the area.
Also Read: UP: Three drown, several missing after boat capsizes in Yamuna in Banda
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