E-Paper
Truck falls off vessel into Ganga, driver feared drowned
The accident occurred around 7am at Garam ghat in Sahebganj when stone-laden trucks were being loaded over the anchored transport vessel on the southern bank of Ganga to take them to the site of under-construction bridge joining Sahebganj to Manihari in Katihar, Bihar.
At least one person was feared drowned after a vessel carrying trucks laden with stone chip lost its balance in the Ganga river between Sahibganj in Jharkhand) and Manihari in Bihar on Friday morning, locals and officials said.
The accident occurred around 7am at Garam ghat in Sahebganj when stone-laden trucks were being loaded over the anchored transport vessel on the southern bank of Ganga to take them to the site of under-construction bridge joining Sahebganj to Manihari in Katihar, Bihar.
“As per the initial investigation, one truck drowned into the river while three other trucks toppled on the ship itself. The driver of the truck that went into the river is missing. Divers have been called from Kolkata who are likely to reach by Saturday morning,” said Sahebganj superintendent of police Anuranjan Kispotta.
On the reason behind the accident, the SP said it might have occurred as ship got disbalanced due to some reason when the trucks were being boarded on the vessel. Exact reason would be established only after investigation is over, he added.
The vessel belonged to Dilip Buildcon Limited (DBL), which is engaged in the construction of a mega bridge on Ganga between Sahibganj and Manihari.
“The vessel with trucks loaded with stone chips was on its way to Manihari in Katihar from Garam Ghat in Jharkhand’s Sahibganj when it lost balance,” Bhanu Pratap Singh, a senior official at DBL, said.
“Three trucks toppled and one fell into the river and a truck driver, identified as 36-year-old Sarfuddin Ansari, a resident of Dhanbad in Jharkhand, is missing,” he said.
Station house officer (SHO) of Sahibganj Muffasil police station, Anupam Prakash, said, “A search operation is underway and efforts are being on to lift the trucks out of Ganga.”
In March this year, at least five persons had drowned after a vessel carrying trucks laden with stone chips had lost its balance midstream in the Ganga between Samda Ghat in Jharkhand’s Sahibganj and Manihari in Katihar.
In August 1988, about 400 pilgrims were drowned when an overcrowded ferry carrying them capsized in the Ganga near Manihari.
