Boat sinks in Ganga, 16 feared drowned

Varanasi, July 30 (UNI) At least 16 people, mostly women and children were feared drowned when a boat capsized in Ganga river near Ramana Ghat area here today.

The mishap took place at 1130 hrs when a boat ferrying 27 people from Chota Mirzapur Ghat of Mirzapur district to Ramana Ghat under Lanka police station area here sank mid-stream in Ganga.

As many as 11 people, including the boatman Sitaram swam to safety, while the remaining 16 passengers were feared drowned in the river, police said, adding sitaram is absconding.

''Eight bodies were fished out by local and PAC divers till 1800 hrs,'' Senior Police Superintendent S B Shirodkar said.

The bodies were identified as Pooja (12), Pyari Devi (55), Urmilla (10), Malati Devi (40), Lalati (35), Sita Devi, Jyoti (12) and Rahul (8) -- all belonging to Kurauni village of neighbouring Mirzapur.

The overcrowded boat was ferrying passengers four times its capacity.

The passengers on the boat, all belonging to Kurauni village were on their way to attend the Guru Purnima celebrations at the Gadhwa Ghat Ashram in Varanasi, when the incident happened.

Those who swam to safety included Poonam (13), Mira (11), Pramilla (20), Sureshwari (40), Bullu (35), Rakesh, Ravindra, Sunil and Anil.

Passengers missing and feared drowned included Gurudayal (10), Mangal, Nirmala, Neha, Dipak, Anju, Manju and Sunita.

''A case will be lodged in Varanasi against the absonding boatman, who overloaded the boat despite strong opposition from the passengers,'' the SSP added.

Rescue operation is in full swing, with both PAC and local divers searching for the missing in the mighty river.

UNI