UP Banda boat mishap: 12 bodies recovered, search for three more underway

A total of twelve bodies have been recovered so far in the August 11 boat capsize incident in Uttar Pradesh's Banda district, police said.Earlier on Saturday, eight bodies were fished out.

Rescue operations is being carried out by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and Kishanpur Police who employed divers."NDRF, SDRF and police teams are carrying out rescue operations along with local divers and twelve dead bodies have been found so far and three are still missing. The flow in the river is high which is creating problems in the operation," Banda SP Abhinandan said.

The mishap took place on Thursday morning when a boat carrying between 30 to 40 people was on its way from Marka to Jarauli Ghat in the Fatehpur district. The passengers were on their way to visit relatives on the occasion of Rakshabandhan.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed officials to provide financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh to the kin of each of the deceased from the Disaster Relief Fund.The CM condoled the loss of life and directed the District Magistrate (DM) and Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) in charge of the district to conduct a search and rescue operation immediately.

According to a native on the spot, "In the boat, around 40 people were on-board, as many as 15 people have returned. The boat capsized after one of its flanks broke, there were 8 women and 4 children on board."Deputy Inspector General of Police, V.K. had said, "Due to rain, it has been slippery which is causing issues in rescue, bur still teams are working hard to trace the missing people.""The boatman has been detained and a rescue operation is underway. We all are trying our best and the rescue operation is being conducted under the direction of senior officers," ACS Home Awanish Awasthi had said.