Baghpat (UP)
At least 22 labourers were drowned after their boat capsized in Yamuna river in this district of Uttar Pradesh today. Police sources here said the boat, carrying around 60 labourers from Baghpat to Haryana, was overloaded and it capsized on the UP-Haryana border.
Meanwhile, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has expressed his grief over the death of the people in the boat tragedy.
He has announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the deceased. The Chief Minister has also directed district officials to provide all assistance to the victims’ families.
After the incident, the villagers resort to violence on Delhi-Saharanpur highway. The boat sank close to Katha village, 20 km from the district headquarters.”The boat was ferrying passengers more than its capacity. Most of the passengers of the ill-fated boat were women. As soon as the boat reached mid-stream it capsized,” the district magistrate said.
Rescue teams, including a team of NDRF, have reached the spot, a senior police officer said.
About 12 people have been rescued.
The overcrowded boat was headed for Haryana when the incident occurred. The NDRF team has been mobilised to Katha village.
Police and Provincial Armed Constabulary divers reached the accident spot and have begun rescue operations.
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