Beed: A boat carrying dozens of devotees capsized in the Godavari River near Golegaon in Majalgaon taluka on Wednesday, triggering a major rescue operation. Passengers claimed that a woman died in the accident and a child was missing, though officials had not confirmed the casualties by Wednesday afternoon.
According to eyewitnesses, the boat was carrying more than 50 passengers when it overturned in the river. Local residents and other boat operators rushed to the spot and rescued several people. Around 20 passengers were reportedly pulled out of the water soon after the accident.
The boat was ferrying devotees to the Purushottam Puri shrine, a popular religious site in Majalgaon taluka that attracts thousands of visitors during the Adhik Maas period. The shrine is located across the river, and devotees usually travel there by boat from Golegaon.
A woman passenger alleged that the boat was overcrowded and carrying around 60 to 70 people, exceeding its capacity. She claimed that some passengers had expressed concern about the overcrowding and asked the boatman to allow them to get off, but their requests were ignored.
According to her account, the boat lost balance and overturned because of the excessive load.
The accident created panic among passengers and people at the riverbank. Rescue efforts continued as authorities tried to determine the exact number of people who had boarded the boat and whether anyone remained missing.
Officials were yet to release an official statement, and further details were awaited.
