At least ten tourists from Punjab were killed and several others remained missing after a boat carrying pilgrims capsized in the Yamuna river at Keshi Ghat in Vrindavan on Friday afternoon, officials said.
The incident triggered a massive multi-agency rescue operation involving the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), local police, fire services and administrative teams. Army personnel stationed in Mathura were also called in to assist.
According to police, the victims were part of a group of around 30 tourists from Ludhiana district, most of them from Jagraon town, who had hired two boats for a ride on the river.
Deputy Inspector General (Agra Range) Shailesh Pandey said the accident occurred around 3 pm when one of the boats reportedly lost balance after colliding with a pontoon structure in the river.
“It was a group of 30 tourists from Ludhiana district in Punjab, who had hired two boats for a ride on the river Yamuna at Keshi Ghat in Vrindavan. Prima facie, it appears that one of the boats went uncontrolled and lost balance after colliding with the pontoon bridge,” Pandey said, adding that the exact cause would be ascertained after investigation.
Officials said more than 15 people were rescued alive from the river, but ten others died due to drowning. Search operations were continuing late into the evening to trace those still missing.
Mathura District Magistrate Chandra Prakash Singh, who supervised the rescue operations at the site, said all rescued persons were shifted to Ram Krishna Mission Hospital in Vrindavan, while hospitals in Mathura and nearby areas were put on alert.
“The NDRF team from Ghaziabad has moved to Vrindavan, and the local Army unit at Mathura has been asked to assist. Professional divers are in action, and all necessary steps are being taken,” he said.
Authorities said a 100-member rescue team, including experienced divers, was deployed to scour the river. Efforts were focused on areas downstream where victims could have been swept away.
Preliminary inputs suggest that the boat may have struck a pontoon element left in the river after a bridge structure was partially dismantled due to rising water levels. Officials, however, said the exact sequence of events would be confirmed only after a detailed probe.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the incident and directed officials to ensure proper treatment for the injured and expedite rescue operations.
Meanwhile, in Punjab, the Ludhiana district administration set up dedicated control rooms in Ludhiana and Jagraon to assist families of the victims and coordinate with Uttar Pradesh authorities.
Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain said teams of civil and police officials had been dispatched to Vrindavan for coordination. Helplines were also activated for information and assistance.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann spoke to his Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath and expressed concern over the tragedy. In a post, he confirmed that several residents of Jagraon were among those on board and said the state government was in close contact with UP authorities.
Officials added that some passengers were still unaccounted for, and search and rescue operations would continue until all missing persons were traced.
Control rooms, helplines set up in Punjab
The Ludhiana administration has set up dedicated control rooms in Ludhiana and Jagraon following the boat tragedy in Vrindavan to assist families and coordinate with Uttar Pradesh authorities.
Helpline numbers issued by the administration are:
- 01624-223226 (SDM Jagraon office)
- 0161-2403100 (Deputy Commissioner Office, Ludhiana)
Officials said civil and police teams have been sent to Vrindavan to ensure coordination with rescue agencies and support affected families.
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