Four die as boat capsizes in UP district, mismanagement by officials blamed

Ballia, May 22 Lack of adequate arrangements at the Ganga ghat led to the death of four persons, including three women, when their boat capsized in the Ganga river in Ballia district of Uttar Pradesh on Monday morning.

Four persons were injured and have been hospitalised.

The victims were going in the boat to perform 'parikrama' to the other end of the river, as part of the 'mundan sanskar' of their children.

The incident was proof of administrative negligence since there were no river guards or divers at the spot even though large crowds had gathered there for the ceremonies.

Lalta Prasad, who had come for the mundan (a religious head shaving ceremony) ceremony of his grandson at Maldeghat and managed to swim to safety when the boat overturned, said, "The fair is held every year but we always have divers and 'Jal police' to regulate boat traffic and prevent overcrowding. Today, there was no such deployment."

His family was on another boat when the accident took place.

He said that all those who had gathered at Maldeghat were local people who perform 'mundan' ceremonies of children on the banks of the river.

Raj Karan Nayyar, superintendent of police, Ballia, said those injured were undergoing treatment in a hospital and doctors have stated their condition is stable.

District magistrate Ravindra Kumar said the engine of the boat on which around 30 people, including men, women and children were travelling, developed a technical snag in the middle of the Ganga river.

As the engine suddenly stopped, passengers tried to leave the boat following which it capsized when it was close to the Peepa Pul ghat.

Local boatmen present at the ghat saw the boat capsizing and immediately rushed to help. They jumped into the river to bring the victims out and residents also threw ropes to help the boat's passengers.

Senior police and administrative officials reached the spot much after the accident and helped in the rescue operations.