Ludhiana: Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann attends last rites of Mathura boat accident victims in Jagraon
Ludhiana, April 11
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday visited Jagraon in Ludhiana to attend the final rites of those who died in the boat accident in Mathura. The Chief Minister met with the grieving family members in Ludhiana to offer his condolences.
CM Mann, in a post on X, said, "Today, by participating in the last rites of those who lost their lives in the Mathura boat accident at Jagroan in Ludhiana, I shared the grief with the affected families."
He further said, "In this hour of sorrow, the Punjab government is committed to providing every possible assistance to the bereaved families. May Waheguru grant abode at His feet to the departed souls and bestow strength upon the families to bear this unbearable sorrow."
SP (Rural) Suresh Chandra Rawat said 10 people died and 22 were rescued, adding that a massive search and rescue operation involving the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and private divers is still underway.
Speaking to ANI on Saturday, Rawat said that all possible resources were deployed immediately after the incident."...All the teams have been deployed here..... We sent 8 PRB's (emergency response police vehicles/teams), our fire rescue team, and ambulances there. A total of 32 people were rescued, of whom 10 died, and 22 are safe," he said.
Highlighting the scale of the ongoing operation, Rawat said multiple teams continue to search the river stretch, "8 NDRF teams, 5 SDRF teams and 3 PAC teams are deployed. Almost 120 private divers have been deployed, and we have searched the operation area of 14 kms."
Rescue operations continued on Saturday morning near Keshi Ghat in Vrindavan, with officials confirming that search efforts are ongoing across the affected stretch of the Yamuna River.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs 50,000.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The scale of the rescue operation is impressive with NDRF, SDRF, and so many private divers. But the real question is about safety protocols. Were there life jackets? Was the boat overloaded? We need answers to prevent this from happening again.
Waheguru mehar kare. Such a tragic loss of life. The ex-gratia from PMNRF is necessary, but no amount of money can bring back a loved one. The focus must be on strict enforcement of river safety rules across all states.
Respect to CM Mann for being there with the families. It shows he cares. But leaders must also ensure such accidents don't occur. How many more lives will be lost in boat capsizes before authorities take safety seriously?
The response was swift, I'll give them that. 120 private divers is no small number. Hope the injured recover fully. We need permanent solutions - proper ghats, regulated boats, and mandatory safety gear. Jai Hind.
This is heartbreaking. Mathura-Vrindavan is a place of devotion for so many. To lose lives there is doubly tragic. May the departed souls find peace. Strength to the families. 💔
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