Two dozen villagers, mostly labourers, were feared drowned after their boat capsized in Yamuna river at Baghpat on Thursday morning. The Baghpat administration and police put the death toll at 19.
Expressing grief at the tragedy, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2-lakh each to families of the deceased. The CM also directed district officials to provide all assistance to victims’ families.
As per reports, a boat carrying around 60 labourers going from Baghpat to Haryana capsized due to overloading in Yamuna river near Katha village of Kotwali police circle on Thursday morning. Most of the victims were native of Katha and adjoining villages.
While 15 people were rescued by the locals, some managed to swim to safety but several others drowned. The police later claimed to have fished out 19 bodies till the afternoon. The victims were 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 and Mohisina both 20-year-old.
The delayed response of the local administration irked the local villagers who went on the rampage damaging at least two dozen vehicles and indulged in heavy brick batting at the police teams. District Magistrate Bhawani Singh and senior officers wer forced to rush back to save themselves from public ire which hampered rescue operation. The nagry mob also put up a road block on Saharanpur highway demanding adequate compensation.
Rescue operations could be started only after additional police force was requisitioned. Protesters were urged to cooperate with the administration. ADG (Meerut Zone) Ram Kumar along with other officials were camping on the spot.