12 children feared drowned as boat capsizes in Rae Bareli

12 children are feared drowned after their boat capsized in the Ganga river at Raalpur Ghat in Uttar Pradesh's Rae Bareli district today.

The boat was ferrying 18 people from Kanjas village when it sank in the river. Six of the occupants of the boat swam to safety, Superintendent of Police N Kolanchi said. Divers managed to rescue six children from drowning.

As per the information, these children went to had bath in Ganga on Saturday afternoon. When they were returning from boat, it capsized. On getting the information, all top officials of the village reached the spot. Divers were pressed to service and five dead bodies of children were recovered.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who represents Rae Bareli in Lok Sabha, rushed to the village and met the bereaved families, assuring them of assistance from her party.

Uttar Pradesh government has declared an ex-gratia of Rs two lakh to the kin of each of the deceased, district magistrate Mahendra Kumar said. UPA president Sonia Gandhi and cabinet minister Manoj Pandey reached the Kanjas village and offered their condolence. State government led by Samajwadi Party announced Rs. 2 lakh for the family of those who died, Rs. 50,000 for seriously injured and 25,000 for minor injured.

Two of the bodies have been recovered, while a hunt is on for the others, Mr Kolanchi said.

The family members of the victims alleged that the district administration had shown laxity in looking for the missing children.

Gandhi's aide Dheeraj Srivastava took up the matter with the district magistrate who asserted that rigorous search efforts were on.

Sunday 9 November 2014

http://daily.bhaskar.com/news-ht/UP-boat-carrying-children-capsizes-17-dead-6-rescued-4801206-PHO.html

http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/12-children-feared-drowned-as-boat-capsizes-in-rae-bareli-617548