Eighteen killed in boat tragedy

Eighteen bodies, including those of four children, have so far been fished out from Bhagirathi river in which an overcrowded boat bank on Saturday night.
Nadia district magistrate Vijay Bharti told PTI that 17 bodies have been identified.
"The 17 bodies identified are those of people from Shantipur while one is likely to be from Burdwan.... We are still trying to identify it," Bharti said.
The boat was ferrying around 55 people, much above its capacity, and overturned in the river on Saturday night when it was on its way back to Shantipur in Nadia district carrying passengers from a fair at Kalna in Burdwan district on the opposite bank.

The accident had sparked violent protest in Nadia district yesterday during which several boats were torched and police fired tear gas shells and rubber bullets to quell the mob.
Burdwan district magistrate Saumitra Mohan said the bodies were found within 1 km to 1.5 km radius of the spot where the boat had capsized on Saturday night.

The search operation was still on, Burdwan SP Gaurab Sharma said. "We are still not sure if there are some more bodies in the river or not ... Search operation will go on and we are also trying to pull out the boat."

Families of the deceased in the mishap would get a compensation of Rs two lakh each, Bharti said.
On the alleged delay in rescue operations, Mohan had said the river current, depth of the river and the muddy water had made the job of the divers "very difficult".
(REOPENS CAL2)
Meanwhile, police said 15 persons were arrested in link with yesterday's violence in Shantipur during protests over administration's alleged delay in initiating the rescue operation following the boat capsize.
"Most of them are from Shantipur, while a couple from other places. They have been charged under various sections of the IPC for rioting," Nadia SP Sheesh Ram Jhajharia said.

Alleging that the administration delayed in initiating the rescue operation, a group of people from Shantipur yesterday torched several boats, trawlers and launches anchored on the river bank.
They also set on fire the office of the ferry-service and pelted stones at policemen injuring a sub-inspector of Shantipur police station and another constable.
To control the situation police had fired teargas shells and rubber bullets.