Hajipur, October 14 (TNA) Thirteen children died after a boat carrying around 20 passengers capsized in the Ganga in Bihar’s Vaishali district on Tuesday evening, officials said. The accident took place in the Raghopur area at around 8:30 p.m.
According to Vaishali District Magistrate Varsha Singh, the passengers were travelling to a neighbouring village to attend a feast when the boat overturned. The victims were reportedly aged 15 years or below.
Seven people were rescued after the accident and taken to the Narayan Medical College and Hospital (NMCH) for treatment. Officials said their condition was stable. Rescue teams continued search operations in the river for people who might still be missing.
The boat was reportedly carrying more passengers than its safe capacity. Local residents said several children and girls from Rampur Shyamchand village were on board when the accident occurred.
PM announces financial assistance
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the tragedy and announced ex-gratia assistance of ₹2 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased person. The Bihar government has also announced financial assistance of ₹4 lakh for the families of the victims.
Police and district authorities have launched an inquiry into the accident. Officials are examining the number of passengers on the boat, whether safety equipment was available and the circumstances that led to the vessel capsizing.