35 teachers including 15 women saved from getting drowned in a boat mishap in Gandak at West Champaran

The incident occurred after the boat carrying 38 people was rammed over by a boat coming from opposite direction near Patjirwa Keshwa Ghat.

At least 35 teachers including 15 women belonging to seven government schools were rescued after a boat in which they were travelling capsized in the Gandak river in Bihar's West Champaran district on Monday morning.

Condition of a woman teacher, identified as Abha Kumari of Utkramit Madhya Vidhalaya Srinagar -1 is stated to be serious following the incident on Monday. (Representative image)

Condition of a woman teacher, identified as Abha Kumari of Utkramit Madhya Vidhalaya Srinagar -1 is stated to be serious. The incident came close on the heels of an incident in which a government school teacher Avinash Kumar (25), was swept away by strong currents in Ganga on August 33 morning in Patna after he fell into the river while trying to board a boat on way to his school located in a riverine area in Patna district. He is still traceless.

Giving a detailed narration of Monday's ordeal, Santosh Kumar Choudhary, headmaster of Rajkiya Madhya Vidhalaya Srinagar said the incident occurred barely 100 meters after the boat carrying 38 people including 35 teachers and three local villagers and boatman left for our destination when a boat coming from opposite direction rammed into our boat near Patjirwa Keshwa Ghat under Srinagar Pujaha police station area of the district at around 8am on Monday.

"Under the impact of the collision, the boat shook badly and overturned aided by the high current of water in the Gandak river which was in full spate," the headmaster who along with other teachers were thrown into the river said.

"I found a flush of water carrying me along its strong current and I was struggling to keep my head above the water level before I was rescued by the local villagers," said Munna Kumar, a teacher belonging to Utkramit Madhya Vidhalaya Srinagar.

"It was a narrow escape for us as we all experienced a raging wave crashing into and throwing our body underneath the waters. We all struggled and by God grace survived. It would have been a major catastrophe had it happened little deep in the river," said Ajam Ali, a teacher echoing common refrain.

However, at Patjirwa Keshwa Ghat, a common impulse suddenly overcame a dozen of villagers and rushed to the rescue the drowning teachers. "We were suddenly alarmed by the distress call and it took no time to understand what had happened. By God grace, no untoward incident occurred," Munilal Bin, who along with about a dozen of villagers rushed to rescue of teachers, using rope, bamboo pole in an operation that lasted for nearly 10 to 15 minutes.

When contacted, Thakaraha's block education officer (BEO), Umesh Singh said as many as 35 teachers, 15 of them women, belonging to seven schools were on boat at the time of incident. "All of them have been rescued," said the block education officer, adding a teacher Abha Kumari has been admitted to GMCH at Bettiah.

Meanwhile, the teachers have demanded their deputation in other schools till water level in the Gandak recedes. "It takes nearly 35 minutes of journey in water to reach our school. It is quite precarious," the teachers told media.

The education department has instructed district authorities after the Patna tragedy to ensure only registered boats are used, and that all passengers wear life jackets in flood-prone areas. Additional life jackets will be provided at key ghats across the state. But that remains to be implemented.