Nine drown in boat capsize in Kanhar river

Ranchi, July 4 (UNI) At least nine people, including a child and two women, drowned when their boat capsized after it was hit by storms on the Kanhar river in Dhurki police station in Garwah district on Sunday night, police today said.

However, eleven of the total 20 passengers of the ill-fated boat, including two boatmen, managed to swim to safety, senior police officials from Garwah told UNI on phone. They said the nine bodies were yet to be recovered.

The passengers were going from Balchaura ghat to Chattisgarh area when strong winds hit the boat. It lost balance, overturned and sank, witnesses said, adding the boat was overburdened.

Besides the passengers, there were two motorbikes and ten bicycles aboard, the sources said.

Rescue operations were being hampered by strong current.

Local MLA Bhanu Pratap Shahi announced Rs 10,000 each to the next of kin of the deceased.

UNI AM-PRS PL VD HS1440