1 dead, 10 injured as boat capsizes in Ganga

One person was drowned while ten others sustained serious injuries after a country boat capsized in the Ganga River here this evening.
Patna City Superintendent of Police Chandan Kushwaha said one person, whose identity was yet to ascertained, died by drowning while ten others have been taken to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) after receiving injuries in the boat tragedy.
About 40 persons were on board the boat which 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, the SP 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 seniorofficials 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 here.
The CM instructed Principal Secretary of Health R K 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.