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Vrindavan Boat Mishap: Two more bodies found, toll reaches 13
The Yamuna boat mishap toll rises to 13 as search teams continue to find three missing. Authorities arrest the boatman and contractor for negligence.
Two more bodies were recovered on Sunday, taking the Yamuna boat mishap toll to 13, even as search teams intensified their search for three missing in Mathura.
Pankaj Kumar, additional district magistrate (finance and revenue), said two bodies recovered during the search on Sunday morning were identified as Rishabh Sharma (30), a law student,hailing from Jagraon, and Dinki Bansal (21) of Dugri in Ludhiana. “Family members of the missing are in Mathura, and the bodies will be handed over after due compliance,” he said.
Teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Army and Pradeshik Armed Constabulary (PAC) Flood units have been carrying out search operations since Friday afternoon when a boat carrying 38 devotees from Ludhiana, capsized near Kesi Ghat.
Kumar added that water flow from Gokul Barrage has been regulated to facilitate the search operation, and efforts are underway to trace the remaining missing persons.
Two more devotees - including Monika and Yash Bhalla, both from Ludhiana- are still missing.
Earlier on Saturday, the body of Manik Tandon was recovered around 3km from the spot where the boat capsized, taking the toll to 11. Officials said while one of the bodies recovered on Sunday was found near the site, the other had drifted several kilometres, leading to the expansion of the search area.
The body of Dinki’s mother, Meenu Bansal, was found on the same day of the mishap. Her body was brought back to Ludhiana on Saturday and was cremated.
Meenu and Dinki had travelled to Vrindavan along with their neighbours, Anju Gulati and Rakesh Gulati. all of them died in the incident.
Police have arrested the boatman Pappu alias Dauji (38) and contractor Narain Thekedar (52) and booked them under Section 105 (culpable homicide) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Mant police station. They were allegedly negligent when the boat collided with an unlocked pontoon bridge being moved by a JCB, causing it to capsize around 3 pm on Friday.
CP Singh, district magistrate, has ordered a probe into the incident by ADM Pankaj Kumar. The victims were part of a 132-member group of devotees from Ludhiana who had come to Mathura on pilgrimage.
Minister Sanjeev Arora meets victim’s kin
Cabinet minister Sanjeev Arora, along with MLA Kulwant Singh Sidhu, visited the families of the victims on Sunday in Ludhiana.
Arora visited the homes of Gulati’s and Bansal’s and said no words can truly ease the pain of losing a loved one.
He said the incident was the result of carelessness and that those managing the boat must be held accountable. Demanding a high-level and time-bound investigation, the minister said that those responsible must face strict legal action and should not be allowed to escape responsibility.
Arora also said that the Punjab government will coordinate with the Uttar Pradesh government to ensure justice is delivered quickly and to prevent such incidents from happening again in the future. He assured the families of full support from both the government and himself personally. He asked the families to reach out to him anytime for help.
