By IANS,
Patna : The death toll in Bihar where two boats carrying Durga Puja revellers capsized in the Kosi and Bagmati rivers has risen to 65 with rescuers recovering 35 more bodies, officials said Wednesday.
“Thirty-five more bodies have been recovered,” Superintendent of Police Indranand Mishra said in Khagaria, about 200 km from here.
Over 80 villagers were returning from a fair in a boat that could have held only 30 people. Till Tuesday evening, 21 bodies were recovered from the Bagmati.
A dozen people were missing. “A search is on to recover them,” Mishra told IANS.
The incident took place Monday evening, about the same time when another overloaded boat capsized in the Kosi river in Darbhanga district, about 150 km from here, killing nine people.
“Most of the dead were women and children. Eight men swam to safety or were rescued. One man is still missing,” said an official in the Darbhanga district magistrate’s office.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has announced a compensation of Rs.150,000 for the families of the victims.