5 drowned, 5 missing after boat capsizes in Bihar's Gopalganj

Patna, Aug 16 Five persons died and five others were missing after a boat capsized on the Gandak river in Bihar's Gopalganj district on Monday, officials said.

The dead included two minor children and one woman. They are identified as Akash Kumar (13), Pawan Kumar (10), Brajesh Gupta, Pushpa Devi and one other.

SDM, Sadar, Upendra Pal Singh: "The victims are on the way to RamJeeta from Kuchaikot to see a fair. There were 10 people on the boat wanting to cross the overflowing Gandak river."

"As per preliminary investigation, the river had extremely high waves and the boatmen probably lost control due to strong wind and waves. The boat capsized in the middle of the river.

"As soon as we learnt of the accident, a rescue operation was initiated by the disaster management. The divers managed to retrieve five dead bodies so far," he said, adding that operations are underway to trace other missing persons.

In another incident, three minors became victims of electrocution in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district on Monday. The children, identified Badal Kumar, Avinash Kumar, and Vishnu Kumar, were admitted to the S.K. Medical College and Hospital, where their condition is said to be critical.

The accident took place due to the negligent attitude of power distribution company officials. The children jumped in a pit without knowing that live wire had fallen into it.

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