At least five persons were drowned when a country boat capsized on Biluakhai river in Odisha's Jagatsinghpur district today, officials said.
"Bodies of five persons have been fished out after the country boat carrying devotees to a temple capsized on the river near Nachhipur village this evening," Jagatsinghpur district Collector S K Mallick said.
Some people were rescued during a rescue operation launched by personnel of Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), fire brigade, police and local divers, he said adding one of the rescued persons has been admitted to hospital.
The search and rescue operation was supervised by senior officials including the District Collector Mallick and Superintendent of Police.
In view of darkness, arrangements for adequate lighting were made in order to facilitate the search operation, sources said adding it was not immediately clear whether some more people were still missing.
The passengers, mostly from Nachhipur village, were proceeding to attend a religious ceremony at a temple at Galipur village across the river when the mishap took place, police sources said.
