16 Students, 2 Teachers Die After A Boat Overturns In Gujarat, PM Modi Expresses Grief

A tragic news of death of 16 children and two teachers was reported from Gujarat on Thursday. According to the reports, a boat carrying 27 individuals on a picnic, capsized in Harni Lake in Vadodara. The reports said students were not wearing life jackets while boating. Soon after being reported, a search operation was launched by state police and fire brigade to find missing students.

Vadodara's chief fire officer Parth Brahmbhatt told PTI that "A boat carrying school students, who came here on a picnic, overturned in Harni lake in the afternoon. The fire brigade has so far rescued seven students, while a search is on for the missing ones."

After the saddening incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief and announced a solatium of Rs 2 lakh to the family of deceased and Rs 50,000 each for the families of the injured. The support money will be given from Prime Minister's National Relief Fund.

"Distressed by the loss of lives due to a boat capsizing at the Harni lake in Vadodara. My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this hour of grief. May the injured recover soon. The local administration is providing all possible assistance to those affected. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000," PM Modi said in a tweet.

Reports said Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel has canceled all his appointments and heading to Vadodara to take cognizance of the matter. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Gujarat CM said that "the state government would give a solatium of Rs 4 lakh for the family of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the family of the injured."