At Least 13 Dead After Boat Capsizes in Bihar’s Vaishali

A boat capsized in the Ganga near Raghopur in Bihar’s Vaishali district on Tuesday evening, killing at least 13 people, according to Vaishali District Magistrate Varsha Singh. Rescue teams were searching the river and assisting survivors as reports gave differing casualty and passenger counts. The passengers were travelling to a feast in a village across the river, officials said. The boat overturned near Rampur Shyamchand village in the Raghopur Diara area. Most of those aboard were reported to be children. The district magistrate said 13 people had died and, in another account, that 13 bodies had been recovered. Tejashwi Yadav, a leader of the Rashtriya Janata Dal who represents Raghopur, claimed that 14 bodies had been recovered. The number of passengers was not established. An official said the boat owner estimated that 15 to 20 people were aboard, while initial reports put the number at 25 to 30. Yadav also claimed that 30 people were on the boat. Accounts of survivors differed: officials reported six rescued in one update and seven in another. One report said several people were missing while the search continued.