10 Minors Dead, 20 Missing After Boat Capsizes in Bihar’s Raghopur

At least 10 minors have died and approximately 20 people are missing after a boat carrying around 25 to 30 passengers capsized in the Ganga river near Rampur Shyamchand village in Bihar’s Vaishali district on Tuesday evening, October 13. The incident occurred in the Raghopur area, triggering an emergency rescue operation involving disaster response teams and local authorities.

Raghopur Block Development Officer (BDO) Seema Kumari confirmed the deaths, stating that all 10 bodies recovered so far belonged to children below the age of 18. Some of the victims were reportedly as young as 13.

According to officials, most of the passengers aboard the medium-sized boat were travelling to attend a feast organised as part of Hindu funeral rituals. A senior police official told Hindustan Times that the boat was ferrying passengers between two hamlets along the river when it overturned. Preliminary information suggested that an imbalance aboard the vessel caused it to capsize.

Several passengers managed to swim to safety after the boat overturned. Local residents who witnessed the incident rushed to assist those in the water and alerted the administration, prompting authorities to launch rescue operations.

NDRF, SDRF Teams Search for Missing Passengers

Rescue operations are underway, with teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) deployed to search for the missing passengers. However, darkness and the depth of the river have complicated the operation, raising concerns about the chances of locating survivors.

Following the accident, local residents brought children pulled from the water to a nearby primary health centre. Doctors examined the victims and declared 10 minors dead. The tragedy has left families devastated, with relatives mourning the deaths as rescue personnel continue searching for those still unaccounted for.

The number of missing passengers remains significant, given that around 25 to 30 people were reportedly aboard the boat when it overturned. Authorities have yet to establish the final number of people who were on the vessel and determine the complete circumstances surrounding the accident.

Bihar Chief Minister Announces ₹4 Lakh Compensation

Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary expressed grief over the deaths, describing the incident as heartbreaking. In a post on his official X account, he announced an ex gratia payment of ₹4 lakh to the families of each deceased victim.

The chief minister also directed the administration to expedite rescue operations and ensure that injured passengers receive the best possible medical treatment.

Opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav also expressed condolences over the tragedy. In a post on X, Yadav described the incident as tragic and unfortunate, noting that most of those who drowned were children. He said instructions had been issued to coordinate with local residents, administrative officials and other authorities to accelerate relief, rescue and medical assistance.

Yadav represents the Raghopur Assembly constituency, which includes riverine areas of Vaishali district.

Another Boat Accident in Bihar Earlier This Year

The latest tragedy comes months after another fatal boat accident in Bihar. In May, at least three people died and four went missing after a boat carrying 14 passengers capsized in the Ganga near Sultanpur Diara in the Samastipur district. Seven passengers were rescued, according to officials.

The passengers were residents of Bind Toli in Masoomganj, under the Barh police station area of Patna district. They had travelled to Sultanpur Diara for agricultural work and were returning to Umanath Ghat with vegetables harvested from parwal fields when the boat overturned.

Mohiuddin Nagar Circle Officer Brijesh Kumar Dwivedi confirmed three deaths, involving two men and one woman. Officials said the identities of all three deceased passengers had been established.

According to the Patna district administration, the boat departed from Bind Toli at approximately 5:45 am with 14 people aboard. The passengers regularly crossed the river to work in agricultural fields.

Initial reports indicated that seven people had been rescued, two bodies recovered and five passengers reported missing. Officials cited strong winds as a possible factor in the accident, while Barh Sub-Divisional Officer Garima Lohiya said the boat’s engine had failed midstream.

NDRF and SDRF teams, along with the Patna and Samastipur district administrations, participated in the rescue operation.

The latest accident in Raghopur has once again drawn attention to the dangers faced by people who depend on boats to cross Bihar’s rivers for daily travel and work. As rescue teams continue their search in the Ganga, families in Vaishali await information about their missing relatives.