4 drown, over 20 missing after boat capsizes in Bihar

At least four persons drowned while more than 20 others went missing, after a boat carrying close to 80 people capsized in the Mahananda river bordering Katihar district in Bihar and Malda district in West Bengal, police said on Friday.

So far, four bodies were fished out of the river and a total of nine people were admitted to a hospital after they were rescued, the District Magistrate (DM) of Malda, Kaushik Bhattacharya, said.

A motorcycle and one bicycle were also recovered from the river, officials said.

Deputy Superintendent of Police, Barsoi, Pankaj Kumar said the incident took place on the Bihar-Bengal border at about 8.15 pm on Thursday night close to Jagannathpur Ghat, when residents of Wajidpur village here were returning after shopping in Rampur Haat market of the adjoining state, situated right across the river.

"Prima facie, it appears to be a case of overloading. The boat had a capacity of 40 passengers but was carrying almost double the number. So far three unidentified bodies of an elderly man, a woman and a child have been recovered," the DSP said.

"Many of those riding the boat either swam to safety or were rescued by onlookers. About two dozen people are yet to be traced professional divers have been deployed for the purpose," he added.