Boat capsizes in Ganga in UP; one dead, 21 rescued, 3 missing

21 people have been rescued after the boat mishap, a top UP govt official said.

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Bijnor: One person died and three others went missing after a boat capsized in the Ganga on Friday, according to reports.

Major rivers in Uttar Pradesh were flowing at dangerous levels today, according to the Central Water Commission.

In another mishap in Bijnor district, a truck was swept away in Kotawali river. All its occupants were rescued, police said.

Uttar Pradesh Relief Commissioner Sanjay Kumar said this evening that a body was recovered and 21 people rescued after the boat mishap.

Kumar said there were about 25 people on the boat, which sank in the Ganga near Rajarampur village under Mandawar police station area.

As of now, three people are missing," he told PTI in Lucknow.

The official said a National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team had reached the spot from Ghaziabad to help in the rescue operation.

Earlier, the number of people reported missing was higher. But later in the evening, some people travelling on the boat called their relative from the opposite bank of the river.

"The identity of the deceased is yet to be ascertained. At present we are into relief and rescue operations," Additional Superintendent of Police (City) Dinesh Singh said.

He said the people on the boat were headed for their fields located on the other side of the river.

The boat overturned when the current suddenly increased, he said.

In the other mishap in the district, a truck was swept away while crossing Kotawali river, police said.

All four people, including the driver, travelling on the tanker were rescued, Mandawali SHO Rajeev Tyagi said.

A purported video clip on the mishap showed `Bharat Petroleum' painted on the truck.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited flood-hit Lakhimpur Kheri, Gonda and Barabanki districts today.

A Central Water Commission statement said major rivers, including the Ganga, were flowing at dangerous levels while Sharda and Ghaghra were flowing well above the danger mark.