In an unfortunate incident, a boat carrying 40 people capsized in the Ganga river near Patna today evening. Of the 40, 21 have been declared dead including a woman whereas eight people have been rescued and are being treated in hospital. Several people are reported missing.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has ordered a probe into the incident.
District officials said the eight passengers rescued are being treated at the Patna Medical College and Hospital.
According to some eyewitnesses, the boat that capsized was overcrowded and was returning from a kite flying festival in the late evening,
The kite flying festival was organised as part of Makar Sankranti by the state tourism department.
The incident ook place around 6 p.m., when it had turned dark.
Six of the eight people rescued were pulled out from the river by the National Disaster Response Force.
A team of NDRF has been deployed for the rescue operations. Patna district magistrate Sanjay Agarwal and district police officials are camping at the site.
(With IANS inputs)
