Ludhiana/Vrindavan: A tragic accident unfolded in Vrindavan where a boat carrying devotees from Punjab capsized in the Yamuna River, leaving at least nine people dead and several others missing.
According to officials, the incident took place near Kesi Ghat on Friday afternoon when a steamer carrying around 30 tourists overturned mid-river. The victims, all pilgrims from Jagraon in Ludhiana district, had travelled to Vrindavan a day earlier as part of a धार्मिक visit linked to Banke Bihari Temple.
Chandra Prakash Singh confirmed that nine people, including six women and three men, lost their lives in the हादसा. He added that strong winds in the middle of the river reportedly caused the boat to lose balance and collide with a pontoon bridge, leading to the capsize.
Rescue operations were immediately launched, with teams from State Disaster Response Force and National Disaster Response Force deployed at the site. Around 50 local divers also joined the search efforts. Officials said nearly 15 people have been rescued so far, while the search for the missing continues.
The accident reportedly occurred around 2:45 pm, about 2.5 kilometres from the Banke Bihari Temple. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation and have intensified rescue operations to trace those still unaccounted for.
The group of pilgrims had left Jagraon on April 9 and were associated with a local devotional group. The incident has sent shockwaves across the region, with families awaiting updates on their loved ones.
