At least seven people have been killed after a boat carrying 50 passengers capsized in Mahanadi River in Odisha. The search operations by rescue teams are still on. According to the officials, six more bodies were recovered after the remains of a woman were found late Friday night. The tragic incident happened when ferrying people were traveling from Bargrah districts Bandhipali area. The boat encountered turbulent water, leading it to capsize near Jharsuguda. The district administration informed that around 47 people have been rescued so far and they are making complete efforts to send them back to their village. Meanwhile, Naveen Patnaik, the chief minister of Odisha expressed condolences and has announced ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh each to the family of kin.Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik announced ex-gratia assistance of Rs 4 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased in Jharsuguda District pic.twitter.com/cxJi0ekGZL— ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2024On the other hand, local BJP leader, Suresh Pujari said that the boat was operating without a valid license and was overcrowded beyond its capacity.Meanwhile, the investigation into the incident is underway.
