Bihar Boat Capsize: 14 Dead In Ganga In Vaishali, PM Modi Announces Rs 2 Lakh Ex-Gratia

At least 14 people have died after a passenger boat capsized in the Ganga near Rampur Shyamchand village in Bihar’s Vaishali district, with women and children believed to be among the victims. Six people have been admitted to hospital and three others have been rescued safely, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and Raghopur MLA Tejashwi Yadav said.

The accident occurred within the jurisdiction of the Raghopur police station. Preliminary reports suggested that some children had boarded the boat to attend a feast and were returning when the vessel overturned.

Vaishali District Magistrate Varsha Singh had initially confirmed 11 deaths to India Today. The toll later rose to 14 after more bodies were recovered, according to Yadav. Further details about the circumstances of the accident and the identities of the victims are awaited.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the incident and announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the next of kin of each deceased person. The injured will receive Rs 50,000, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said.

“The loss of lives in the boat capsizing incident in Vaishali, Bihar, is deeply painful. My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this difficult time. I pray for the speedy recovery of all those injured. The local administration is assisting those affected,” the PMO said in a post on X.

Bihar CM Announces Rs 4 Lakh Aid For Families Of Deceased

Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary also expressed grief over the deaths and announced financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh for each bereaved family.

In a post on X, Choudhary described the deaths in the Raghopur boat accident as “extremely sad and heart-wrenching” and offered condolences to the families of the victims.

He said the state government would provide Rs 4 lakh to each family and that instructions had been issued to the administration to expedite rescue and relief operations and ensure proper medical treatment for the injured.

Vice-President CP Radhakrishnan also expressed sorrow over the incident, offering condolences to the bereaved families and praying for the safety of those who might still be missing.

“Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of lives in the boat capsizing incident in the River Ganga in Vaishali district, Bihar,” he said, adding that his prayers were with those affected by the tragedy.

Tejashwi Yadav Calls For Faster Rescue And Relief Operations

Yadav, whose assembly constituency includes Raghopur, expressed grief over the accident and said most of those who drowned were children.

In a post on X in Hindi, he said he had spoken to Vaishali District Magistrate Varsha Singh after receiving information about the incident. He added that, after consulting local residents and officials, instructions had been issued to speed up rescue, relief and medical treatment efforts.

Yadav also conveyed condolences to the families who lost their children in the accident.

Authorities are continuing to assess the situation as details emerge about the victims and the circumstances that led to the boat capsizing.