VARANASI: Three women and as many childern were feared drowned when a boat capsized in river Ganga near Akhada Ghat under Vindhyachal police station in Mirzapur district of Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday afternoon.
Police engaged divers with nets to rescue the missing women and children while DIG Vindhya range RK Bhardwaj, district magistrate Mirzapur Pravin Lakshkar, SP Ajay Kumar and other officials were camping at Akhada Ghat to monitor the rescue operation.
According to police, one Rajesh Tiwari from Ghuraha area in Ranchi of Jharkhand along with eleven members and a driver had reached Vindhyachal to offer prayer. Before entering the temple they reached Akhada Ghat for bathing in Ganga.
Tiwari said that before they could start bathing a boatman started convincing him and his family to go on opposite bank of river on his boat and bath there after site seeing. After bathing on opposite bank, he said, they boarded the boat to return. In the meantime heavy rains started when Tiwari asked him to wait. He alleged that the boatman said that no problem will be faced in crossing the river despite rain.
However, when the boat reached the midstream water started filling inside and the boat capsized.
Police said that apart from Tiwari, Vikas (28), Deepak (27), Alka (9), Ritika (7) and their driver were rescued by the people and boatmen present near the ghat. However, Gudia (28), Khushbu (30), Anisha (26), Satyam (5), a two-year-old and a three-month-old girls were feared drown. Police said that hectic efforts were being made to search the missing women and children but due to strong current in river stream problems were being faced in the search operation.
