Guwahati: Fear and grief gripped the banks of the Brahmaputra on Tuesday after a passenger boat capsized at Rahampur under Chenga constituency in lower Assam’s Barpeta district, leaving seven people, including women and young children, missing.
According to sources, the motorised boat was ferrying daily commuters across the river when it overturned midstream, reportedly due to strong currents. Residents allege that the vessel was being operated with gross negligence, without life jackets and with little regard for basic safety norms—an all-too-familiar risk for river-dependent communities in Assam.
As the news spread, heart-rending scenes unfolded along the riverbank, where distraught family members waited anxiously for word of their loved ones. Cries and prayers echoed as villagers searched the waterline, hoping for a miracle.
Local residents expressed anger and frustration at the administration, accusing authorities of delayed response and poor regulation of river transport. “This could have been avoided,” said a resident, pointing to the absence of life-saving equipment on the boat.
Rescue operations are currently underway, with local fishermen joining hands with official rescue teams to scour the river. However, till the filing of this report, there was no confirmed information on the whereabouts of the missing passengers.
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The individuals feared missing have been identified as: Madhu Miya (60), Sukhjan Nessa (45), Amina Parbin (8), Rahul (7), Aryan Islam (7), and Junufa Yasmin (5). Authorities said one more passenger is also feared missing, with identity yet to be confirmed.
Preliminary findings suggest that the boat may have capsized due to strong currents and possible overcrowding, compounded by the absence of safety measures such as life jackets. The incident once again brings into sharp focus the recurring safety lapses and weak enforcement of river transport regulations in Assam, where thousands rely on boats for daily trave
