At least a dozen people were feared drowned in the Hooghly on Saturday night when an over-loaded boat ferrying them from Kalna in Burdwan district to Shanitpur in Nadia district capsized, sources said.
The accident occurred at about 10.30 pm when hundreds of people were returning from a religious festival at Kalna, a temple town to Shantipur across the river, police said.
The number of people missing was 12 which also included women and children, when reports last came in. “The figure could go up further if more missing diaries are registered in our Police Stations,” DM Nadia said, adding the accident could have occurred on account of overloading, a regular phenomenon in the area.
locals said about 150 people had boarded the launch which had a capacity to carry around 50 passengers only. “As a huge number of people boarded the boat it just tumbled and sunk,” a woman, who was carrying her 5-year-old-daughter in her lap, said. The little girl had gone missing since.
The capsized boat had been located some 50 feet under the water, the district administration quoting the divers requisitioned from the NDRF said, but one was not sure whether any victim was still stuck inside it.
“Speed boats have been pressed into service up and down the river to look for bodies,” Burdwan SP Gaurav Kumar said, adding the nearby Police Stations had been alerted. Muddy water, brought down visibility and hampered rescue operations, police said.
Meanwhile, an angry mob agitated by the delay in rescue operations and alleged police-Trinamool nexus in allowing regular over-loading of boats in lieu of cash went on the rampage damaging public property, pelting stones and setting on fire at least five boats including a motor-launch. A sub-inspector of police was injured by a brickbat, sources said.
The police resorted to lath-charge and fired rubber bullets and tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. “Such an accident was just waiting to happen as repeated requests to the district administration against over-loading of boats fell on deaf ears,” locals said adding the police turn a blind eye as the local Trinamnool Congress leaders extract money from the ferry operators who in order to make up for the loss resort to over-crowding.
They also complained against delay in rescue operations. “Though there are about 50 trained divers in Burdwan none could be pressed into service for lack of equipment,” locals said, adding the NDRF had to be requisitioned from Kolkata to start the job.
State Minister Swapan Debnath, however, denied such charges saying the administration was prompt in its service.