Six of forest ranger family among 14 drowned in boat mishap

Kahalgaon, July 25 (UNI) At least 14 people, including six members of the family of a forest ranger, drowned when their boat capsized midstream in Ghogha river, a tributary of the Ganges in Bhagalpur district, District Magistrate of Bhagalpur Vipin Kumar said here today.

He said, one body had so far been fished out. 25 divers had been pressed into service to retrieve more bodies. Services of five boats had also been taken to trace the victims of yesterday's mishap.

Mr Kumar said forest ranger Arun Mandal was posted at Madhupur in Jharkhand.

The district administration of Katihar and Sahebganj in Jharkhand had been contacted to cooperate in the rescue operation, he said.

He said the family members of Mr Mandal were returning after performing the Sraddh ceremony of his mother. His daughter Sunita Kumari luckily survived as she swam ashore. Apart from Mr Mandal, his wife Chanda Devi, two sons Abhinav and Ashish and his nephew met a watery grave. The maid servant accompanying them also drowned along with eight other passengers.

The DM said an ex gratia of Rs fifty thousand was being paid to the kith of each drowned.

The small boat, ferrying about 20 people, capsized midstream in Ghogha near Shankarpur village between Ghogha and Sabor police station areas of Bhagalpur district. Six people swam to safety after the tragedy.

UNI