Patna: A major boat accident was averted on Sunday at Kharka Ghat on Bagmati river in Runnisaidpur block of Sitamarhi district when an overloaded boat carrying around 35-40 passengers capsized midstream. The incident triggered panic at the ghat, but all passengers were rescued safely.As the boat capsized, passengers raised cries for help, following which locals and villagers present at the ghat immediately launched a rescue operation and pulled everyone out.Local residents said the passengers were returning after attending the burial of Md Farhan of Kharka village, whose body had been taken across the river to a cemetery. They said around 40 people, including family members, relatives, well-wishers and villagers, boarded the same boat while returning from the cemetery.Irfan Ansari, a local resident, said, “Around 40 people, including family members, well-wishers and villagers, boarded the same boat to reach the cemetery located across Kharka ghat. After the burial, everyone was returning in the same boat when it lost balance due to overloading and capsized.”Runnisaidpur SHO Lalit Kumar said the boat had been prohibited from operating in the river due to rising water levels, but people were still using it to cross.“We are getting the entire matter investigated,” he said.Villagers alleged that the lack of a bridge and proper boats at Kharka ghat forces thousands of people to depend on unsafe crossings.
