Aurangabad: A tragic boat accident in Bihar’s Aurangabad district claimed the lives of four people, including two young women, after a boat carrying labourers capsized in the Son River on Friday morning. Two people remain missing, while eleven others managed to swim to safety.
According to police, the accident occurred near Raghunathpur Balu Ghat under the Navinagar block in the Badem police station area. The victims were among a group of labourers heading to the farmlands situated along the riverbank, where potato sowing is currently underway.
Victims Identified
The deceased have been identified as Tamanna (20), daughter of Shamim Ansari of Badem village; Kajal alias Chhoti (21), daughter of Yogendra Rai; Soni Kumari (21), daughter of Naresh Chaudhary of Badem; and Savita Devi (30), wife of Chittaranjan Paswan.
Rescue teams have recovered four bodies so far, while search operations continue for the missing persons. Local police and disaster response teams are carrying out operations amid large crowds gathered on the riverbank.
Grieving Families Await News
At the scene, relatives of the victims and missing persons waited anxiously for updates. Naresh Chaudhary, father of missing Soni Kumari, said, “I reached as soon as I got the news. Around 35 to 40 people were on the boat. Some have been rescued. We are poor; no one listens to us. At least the bodies should be found.”
Kiran, sister of deceased Kajal, said her sister had gone to work in the fields that morning. “The boat was overloaded. That’s why it sank. There were more than 24 people on it. Two bodies have been found so far; four are still missing,” she said.
Bride-to-Be Among Victims
Family members of Tamanna said she was scheduled to be married in December. Preparations had already begun, but the tragedy has left her family shattered. “She was our eldest daughter. We were making arrangements for her wedding. Now, everything is gone,” a relative said tearfully.
Rescue Operations Continue
Local authorities confirmed that rescue teams are using boats and divers to locate the missing passengers. Villagers have also joined the efforts, while officials from the district administration are present at the site.
The cause of the mishap is believed to be overloading. Officials said further investigation will be carried out to ascertain whether safety measures were violated.
As dusk fell over the Son River, families continued to wait on the banks — holding on to the faint hope that their missing loved ones might still return.
