Banda boat tragedy: UP govt extends relief

Banda (Uttar Pradesh) [India], August 12 (ANI): The Uttar Pradesh government has announced relief measures after three people died and 17 are still missing after a boat carrying 30-40 people capsized on Thursday in Banda district.
The Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Brajesh Pathak said that the government stands by the people of Banda.
"This was a very heartwrenching incident. I want to assure the people that the government is trying its best to rescue and trace the people. I am in contact with the Banda administration and whatever can be done by the government, we are doing that."
The UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakhs each for kins of people who died in a boat mishap in Banda and instructed for immediate help and relief to the victims and proper treatment to those injured in the accident.
The CM condoled the loss of life and directed the District Magistrate (DM) and Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) in charge of the district to conduct a search and rescue operation immediately.
Earlier on Thursday, a boat carrying 30 to 40, in the Yamuna river from Fatehpur to Marka village people, capsized in the river. People were going to their relatives on the occasion of Rakshabandhan.
Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) reached the location promptly and launch a search operation for missing people and are tracing the people for the last 18 hours.
As of now, around 20 people have been rescued and 17 are still missing. Three bodies have been also recovered.

"NDRF, SDRF, a team of local divers are searching for 17 missing people. We are trying our best to rescue as many people as possible from those who have gone missing. The rescue operation which was stopped in the night due to rain, has been resumed since morning," said Additional director general of police Prashant Kumar.
According to a native on the spot, "In the boat, around 40 people were on-board, as many as 15 people have returned. The boat capsized after one of its flanks broke, there were 8 women and 4 children on board."
Deputy Inspector General of Police, V.K. had said, "Due to rain, it has been slippery which is causing issues in rescue, bur still teams are working hard to trace the missing people."
"The boatman has been detained and a rescue operation is underway. We all are trying our best and the rescue operation is being conducted under the direction of senior officers," ACS Home Awanish Awasthi had said. (ANI)