Bihar: At least 13 children dead after boat capsizes in Ganga

• At least 13 children died after a boat capsized in the Ganga in Bihar’s Vaishali district

• PM Modi announced Rs 2 lakh compensation per deceased’s family; Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary announced Rs 4 lakh.

• RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav urged faster rescue efforts and pledged to visit the affected area

At least 13 children, all aged 15 or below, died after a boat carrying passengers capsized in the Ganga river in Bihar’s Vaishali district on Tuesday evening. The incident occurred around 8.30 pm near Rampur Shyamchand village under the jurisdiction of Raghopur police station.

According to officials, the passengers were travelling to a neighbouring village to attend a feast when the boat overturned midstream. The vessel was reportedly carrying around 15 to 20 people, although the exact number of passengers remains unclear.

Vaishali district magistrate Varsha Singh said that 13 bodies had been recovered and rescue operations were underway. Local divers and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were involved in the search for missing passengers. Seven survivors were rescued and taken for medical treatment, with their condition reported to be stable.

However, reports citing Raghopur MLA and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav indicated that the number of recovered bodies could be as high as 14. The final death toll and the number of missing passengers were yet to be conclusively established. Rescue teams continued their efforts to locate those unaccounted for.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the tragedy, describing it as deeply painful. He announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased person and Rs 50,000 for those injured in the accident.

Bihar chief minister Samrat Choudhary also condoled the loss of lives and announced financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh to the family of each deceased person. He directed officials to expedite rescue operations and ensure proper medical care for the survivors.

Tejashwi Yadav, who represents the Raghopur Assembly constituency, said he had spoken to local officials to assess the situation and urged the administration to speed up rescue and relief operations.

In a video message posted on X, the RJD leader said he would visit the affected area to support the grieving families.

The tragedy has left residents of Rampur Shyamchand and nearby villages in mourning, as authorities continue rescue efforts and work to establish the exact number of casualties.

With PTI inputs