Woman drowns, 8 missing after boat capsizes in UP's Bahraich, rescue ops on

A 60-year-old woman drowned and eight people, including five children, went missing on Wednesday after a boat capsized in the Kaudiyala river near Bharathapur village in a densely forested area of this district, officials said.

The incident occurred around 6 pm when 22 people from Khairatiya village of neighbouring Lakhimpur district were travelling by boat to Bharathapur, they said, adding efforts are on to trace the missing persons.

Locals said the boat overturned in the river because the flow of the water was strong.

According to an official statement issued in Lucknow, of 22 people, 13 were saved while one Ramajiya (60) drowned and her body was later recovered.

Eight people are still missing and attempts are on to trace them, the statement said.

Among the eight missing are boatman Mihilal Yadav (38), Shivnandan Maurya (50), Suman (28), Sohni (5), Shivam (9), and a five-year-old daughter of Shanti. Victim Ramjaiya's two grandsons aged 7 years and 10 years are also missing, it said.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has taken cognisance of the incident and directed police and civic officials to reach the site immediately, along with NDRF and SDRF teams, to ensure prompt rescue and relief operations.

Bharathapur village, located deep inside the Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, is surrounded on three sides by the river and has no road connectivity, leaving locals at the mercy of boats for travel.

The area is considered difficult to access, and forest officials said wild elephants are often seen in the region.

The officials said the incident site is located within the forest, far from the district headquarters, and communication has been difficult.

Officials at the state headquarters said NDRF and SDRF teams have been rushed to the site, and senior officers at the police headquarters are in constant touch with the local administration to monitor the rescue efforts.

Administrative sources said rescue and relief operations are underway.