Patna Boat Tragedy: Eyewitnesses Narrate Harrowing Experiences

An eyewitness blamed the Bihar government for the boat capsize.

Patna: Eyewitnesses of Patna boat tragedy narrated their narrate harrowing experiences and blamed the administration for the death of 21 people who were drowned in the Ganga on Saturday evening.

An eyewitness compared the sinking of the overcrowded boat to Titanic. He said,” The scene of sinking of the boat can be compared to that of Titanic. Thick smoke billowed from the engine of the boat and it exploded with a loud thud after which the boat broke into halves down in the middle and sank immediately. There were about 150 people onboard the boat.”

Another eyewitness blamed the Bihar government for the boat capsize. He said, “There were no proper arrangements, the state government is responsible for the tragedy.”

However, the state government on Saturday announced Rs 4 lakh compensation for kin of those drowned in the accident.

The ill-fated boat carrying 40 people capsized in the Ganga river near Patna on Saturday evening. Six of the eight people rescued were pulled out from the river by the National Disaster Response Force while several people are reported missing.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has ordered a probe into the incident.

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