Bahraich Tragedy: Boat Carrying 22 Villagers Capsizes, 1 Dead, 8 Missing

Lucknow: A boat carrying 22 villagers capsized in the Kaudiyala river near Bharatpur village in Bahraich district on Wednesday, leaving one woman dead and eight others missing, including five children.

The mishap occurred when the overcrowded boat struck a tree branch in the fast-flowing river while returning from a local market.

The deceased has been identified as 60-year-old Majei. Thirteen people managed to swim to safety or were rescued by locals and officials. Search operations are underway to locate the missing, who include the boatman Mihilal Yadav (38), Shivanandan Maurya (50), a woman named Suman (28), and four children aged 5, 7, 9, and 10 years.

A joint rescue operation involving the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), local divers, and police is in progress along a 5-kilometre stretch of the river. Teams are focusing on areas with strong currents where chances of the missing being trapped are high. Around 50 personnel have been deployed for the search.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has taken cognizance of the incident and directed officials to expedite rescue and relief work. He has also instructed the district administration to ensure proper medical care for those injured in the tragedy.

District officials, including Bahraich’s Superintendent of Police and senior administrative officers, have been camping at the site to oversee the rescue operations and provide assistance to the affected families.

The Kaudiyala river, which flows through dense forest areas near the Indo-Nepal border, often witnesses strong currents, making navigation risky, especially during the post-monsoon season. Locals said the boat was overcrowded as several villagers had gone across the river for market purchases and were returning home when the tragedy struck.