Four persons including two minors were killed when a boat capsized in river Ganga at Simultala area in Murshidabad on Wednesday night.
According to the district administration, the boat was ferrying nine passengers among whom, five managed to save their lives by swimming to their safety while four persons drowned in the river. The incident occurred when a strong wind blowing through the area accompanied with rain overturned the boat. Bodies of three persons were recovered by the local people late on Wednesday night while the body of one person was recovered on Thursday morning.
Ever since the incident happened, the local people and the district administration swung into action taking part in the rescue operation. They carried out a search in the river till late on Wednesday night. The victims were all daily wage labourers who were returning from Gobindara
mpur. The victims have identified as Ruhul Seikh (22), Tahidur Seikh (14), Masidur Seikh (30) and Asraf Seikh (12). All of them were residents of Jiarttola village of Lakkhipur gram panchayat.
According to the police, the daily wage labourers were returning home from their day's work late on Wednesday evening. While five persons managed to make it to to the bank by swimming, four were swept away by the strong current of the river.
Senior police officers and the administrative officials rushed to the spot after the incident happened. Local residents started a searching operation with small boats while local administration engaged divers. Generators were brought in to illuminate the area. After conducting a thorough search, three bodies were found late on Wednesday night while one body was recovered by the district administration on Thursday morning.
Police have started a probe in this regard and are interrogating the other persons who were returning in the same boat but managed to save their lives.
This incident comes at the time when the state government has taken steps to upgrade motorised boats to ensure safety of passengers.
Preliminary investigation suggests that the boatmen did not follow the guidelines while ferrying the passengers across the river.
The state government had directed to keep safety jackets in motorised boats and not to operate during inclement weather but the boatmen attempted to ferry the passengers during heavy storm just to make some fast cash. The local administration is taking all necessary steps to avoid recurrence of such incidents in future.