Dhubri (Assam): A tragic boat accident was reported on Tuesday evening in the Gangadhar River near Belpara Char under the Tamarhat area of the Dhubri district of lower Assam.
According to an eyewitness, 22 minor students from Shagunchar village in Tamarhat had travelled by a small country boat (locally known as a tulunga nao) to Belpara Char to attend a Shraddha feast at a residence.
While they had reached their destination safely, the mishap occurred during their return journey. The boat reportedly capsized suddenly just after starting from Belpara Char.
The incident triggered panic among people present on the riverbank. With prompt action from locals, 19 of the 22 children were rescued safely. However, three children remain missing.
Local residents identified the missing children as Sah Alam, Mofiza, and Sarmin of Shagunmari village. Upon receiving information, police and personnel of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) rushed to the spot. Mithun Roy, Senior Station Officer, Fire and Emergency Service of Dhubri, told ANI over the phone that "three children are still missing after a country-made boat capsized in the Gangadhar river. Search and rescue operations are still underway." Further details are awaited.
In a separate incident, on January 27, at least six people went missing after a boat capsized on the river Brahmaputra in Assam's Barpeta district, officials said.
The incident took place in the Rahampur area of the district.
Sushanta Biswa Sarma, Senior Superintendent of Police of Barpeta district, told ANI over the phone that "NDRF and SDRF teams, along with police, are engaged in search and rescue operations." Six people are missing after a boat capsized. NDRF and SDRF teams are engaged in search and rescue operations, the senior police official said.
On the other hand, locals alleged that the boat was not equipped with a life jacket.
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