Bihar boat capsize: Rescue operation on, 2 more pulled out from Saryu river

Two more persons were pulled out from the Saryu River in Bihar's Saran district on Thursday, taking the total number of rescued people to 12 in the boat tragedy a day before, an official said.

The toll remained unchanged at two as no new body was recovered, Saran District Magistrate Aman Samir said.

"So far, 12 people have been rescued, including those who managed to swim to the river bank. Rescue operation is still on to trace the five missing persons," Samir told PTI.

The two deceased were women and identified as Phool Kumari and Chatthiya Devi. They were residents of Matiyar village.

The boat with 19 people on board capsized in the river on Wednesday evening near Matiyar Ghat in Manjhi block.

A probe is underway to ascertain the cause of the incident, the district magistrate said.

The local administration has also initiated a process of providing an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased. Hopefully, the ex gratia amount will be handed over to the family members of the deceased by 12 noon," he said.

This was the second major incident of boat capsize in the state in the recent past.

More than 15 children were feared drowned after a boat carrying them capsized in the Bagmati River in Muzaffarpur district in September.