Patna boat tragedy: Death toll rises to 21; Nitish orders probe, PM Modi expresses grief

At least 21 people were killed when an overcrowded boat capsized in Ganga river near Patna on Saturday. 

A team of NDRF has been deployed for the rescue operations and senior police and administrative officials are camping at the site.

Officials said some of the passengers have been taken to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) after receiving injuries in the boat tragedy. 

The boat was coming to Ranighat in Patna from Sabalpur diara (riverine) on the other side of River Ganga after watching kite flying on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. 

Some persons swam to safety, while some families were complaining of missing members, police officials said adding, a search operation is on. 

District magistrate Sanjay Kumar Aggarwal and the SP have reached the spot. 

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has expressed grief over the boat tragedy and ordered a probe. 

Kumar has ordered cancellation of all subsequent events organised in the diara (riverine) area as part of the Makar Sankranti festival and has instructed senior officials to seek details about the programme organised from which people were returning and whether proper arrangements were made for the event, an official statement said. 

The CM instructed principal secretary of health RK Mahajan and the Patna district magistrate to ensure proper treatment of the victims of the boat tragedy. 

Kumar has also instructed principal secretary of disaster management Pratyay Amrit and DIG Shalin to supervise relief and rescue operations and has ordered Patna district administration to provide ex-gratia to the family of the deceased. .

(With inputs from PTI)

Updates: 

# Prime Minister Narendra Modi expresses grief over the loss of lives in the accident. 

PM expressed grief on the loss of lives caused by the boat tragedy in Bihar. He extended condolences to the bereaved families.

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 14, 2017

#Patna boat capsize incident: Death toll rises to 21, Rs 4 lakh compensation each to be given to the kin of the deceased persons.

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