At least 13 children have died after a boat capsized in the Ganga River in Bihar’s Vaishali district, leaving families devastated and prompting an extensive search for missing passengers. The accident occurred on Tuesday evening, October 13, near Rampur Shyamchand village in the Raghopur area, when the passengers were travelling across the river to attend a feast in a neighbouring village.
Vaishali District Magistrate Varsha Singh confirmed that all 13 deceased children were aged 15 or below. Seven people were rescued and taken to hospital, while three to four passengers were reported missing in initial updates. Rescue teams continued searching the river on Wednesday as officials worked to establish the total number of people aboard the boat.
The vessel was reportedly carrying around 20 passengers when it overturned at approximately 8.30 pm. The passengers were travelling to attend a feast organised following a death in a neighbouring village. The journey, which would ordinarily have been a routine crossing for local residents, ended in tragedy, leaving families anxiously awaiting news of their loved ones.
The exact circumstances that caused the boat to capsize were yet to be established. Preliminary accounts raised concerns about possible overcrowding, but the cause of the accident remains subject to investigation.
Rescue operations continue
Local residents were among the first to respond after the boat overturned. Villagers rushed to the riverbank to help those struggling in the water, while police personnel and emergency responders reached the spot to assist with rescue efforts.
Teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), along with local divers and police personnel, were deployed to search for missing passengers and recover bodies. The injured were shifted to medical facilities for treatment.
The search operation continued into Wednesday, with authorities working to confirm the identities of the deceased and determine how many people had been travelling on the vessel. The nighttime accident posed additional challenges for rescue personnel searching the river.
The tragedy also triggered anger among local residents, with reports of protests over alleged administrative negligence. Some residents demanded accountability and called for action against officials concerned. The allegations had not been established, and the circumstances surrounding the accident remained under examination.
The incident has renewed concerns about passenger safety on river crossings, particularly in areas where communities rely on boats to travel between villages. Questions over the vessel’s passenger capacity and the safety measures in place are likely to form part of the investigation.
PM Modi, Bihar CM announce compensation
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives, describing the incident as deeply painful. He conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families and wished those injured a speedy recovery.
The Prime Minister announced financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of each deceased person. Those injured in the accident will receive Rs 50,000 each.
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary also expressed sorrow over the deaths and announced compensation of Rs 4 lakh for the family of each deceased person.
The Chief Minister directed the administration to speed up rescue and relief operations and ensure that injured passengers received appropriate medical treatment. Authorities were asked to coordinate efforts to assist affected families and locate those still missing.
The announcements offered financial support to the affected families, although the immediate priority remained the search operation and medical care for survivors.
Tejashwi Yadav calls for urgent action
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav, who represents the Raghopur constituency in the Bihar Assembly, expressed concern over the tragedy and urged authorities to intensify rescue efforts.
Yadav said he had spoken to district officials and the state Disaster Management Department, calling for more rescue personnel to be deployed. He stressed the need to accelerate relief work and ensure that survivors received timely treatment.
His intervention came as local residents and families awaited further information about those missing after the boat capsized.
River safety under scrutiny
The Vaishali boat accident has once again highlighted the risks associated with river transport in parts of Bihar. For communities living along the Ganga, boats remain an important means of reaching neighbouring villages, particularly in areas where road connectivity can be limited.
However, overcrowding, inadequate safety arrangements and uncertainty over passenger limits can increase the risks of river crossings. Whether any such factors contributed to Tuesday’s accident will need to be determined through an official investigation.
The tragedy also comes amid continuing concerns about boat safety in Vaishali district. A separate boat accident was reported in the district in September, when one person died and another went missing after a vessel carrying 11 people capsized near Terasia Diara.
As rescue teams continue searching the Ganga, authorities face the immediate task of locating missing passengers and supporting survivors. For families who have lost children, the tragedy has brought an unimaginable loss, while the wider community awaits answers about how the accident occurred and what measures can prevent similar incidents in the future.
