About two dozen villagers, mostly labourers, drowned after their boat capsized in the Yamuna river near Baghpat on Thursday morning. However, the Baghpat administration put the death toll at 19, mainly because only that many bodies could be fished out by Thursday afternoon. Expressing grief at the tragedy, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the families of each deceased. The CM also directed district officials to provide all assistance to victims’ families.
As per reports, a boat carrying around 60 labourers from Baghpat to Haryana capsized due to overloading near Katha village of Kotwali police circle. Most of the victims were native of Katha and adjoining villages. While 15 people were rescued by locals, some others managed to swim to safety. The victims have been identified as Ilyas (55), Sunil (60), Rampal (52), Nazreen (55), Manish (42), Rajo (42), Zubeida (55), Tejpal (45), Santara (55), Anil (20), Moni (17), Shyamviri (22), Rekha (35), Savita (22), Ramviri (22), Sohanviri (55), Kagaz (16), Shama (20) and Mohisina (20).
Irked over delayed response by the local administration, villagers went on the rampage damaging at least two dozen vehicles and indulging in stone-pelting on police teams. District Magistrate Bhawani Singh and senior officers had to scurry to safety. The irate locals also blocked Saharanpur highway in protest and demanded adequate compensation.
Rescue operations could be started only after additional police force was deployed. ADG (Meerut Zone) Ram Kumar and other senior officials supervised the rescue operation.