Three drown as boat capsizes in Sangam

Allahabad: Three persons drowned after a boat carrying 18 people, beyond its permissible limit, capsized in the Sangam river here, police said on Wednesday.

Ajay, Sushil and Shankar lost their lives after a motorboat hired by the group capsized in the holy Sangam last evening, Additional Superintendent of Police (City), Rajesh Yadav said.

The 15 other occupants of the boat were rescued by divers deployed around the holy confluence, he said, adding that the bodies of the deceased were fished out past midnight.

The group had hired the motorboat to immerse the ashes of an acquaintance, Yadav said.

Meanwhile, the state government has ordered an enquiry into the incident since the boat was carrying people beyond the permissible limit of 11 persons.