Missing picnickers untraced, relatives block Kolkata roads

KOLAGHAT - Amid fading chances of finding any of the victims alive, the authorities Monday continued search operations without any success for 17 people missing after a boat carrying picnickers capsized in West Bengal’s Rupnarayan river. Incensed relatives, meanwhile, blockaded city roads.

The missing included eight children while 20 picnickers were either rescued by locals or swam ashore after the boat capsized around 3 p.m. Sunday.

So far, not a single body has been fished out of the river.

Drawing flak for the delay in beginning rescue operation Sunday, the state government clamped a temporary ban on boat joyrides on Rupnarayan river, but asserted that the accident happened as the boat was over-laden.

According to sources in the East Midnapore district administration, the search operation is still on with the help of the Coast Guard personnel from Haldia, the Border Security Force (BSF) and Kolkata Police’s disaster management teams. Local youth were also involved in the search.

Meanwhile, some family members of the missing picnickers staged road blockades in parts of northern Kolkata demanding the authorities take steps for a fruitful search. The picnic party comprised around 60 people - men and young boys - from Kolkata’s Ultadanga area. The wailing of their anxious female relatives - mothers, wives and sisters - rent the air in the city’s north.

Sobbing and tense relatives lined both sides of the river at Kolaghat, as divers went into the water through the day.

“I could not find out any body. I searched a vast area. It’s very cold. Still I tried very hard. I know if I can find some of the victims from the water, their relatives will be happy,” said a diver, emerging from the river.

According to Aravinda Ram - one of those who swum ashore after the boat capsized late Sunday afternoon - water had gushed into the boat. He said the boat pilot pleaded with a nearby boat to help but it paid no heedd.

A state government source said there was no disaster management equipment in the district.

“Joyrides on boat in Rupnarayan river has already been suspended temporarily. We’ve informed Howrah and East Midnpoare district magistrates about that. We have also asked all other district administrations to be more vigilant specially at the picnic spots so that no such mishap happens any further,” state Chief Secretary Ashok Mohan Chakraborty told reporters here.

He said the boat was heavily over-laden.

“We appeal to all picnickers to be more cautions. If they aren’t careful, such things may recur,” Chakraborty said, admitting that there was no diver there at that time, which delayed the whole rescue process.

Meanwhile, state Disaster Management Minister Mortaza Hossain and Civil Defence Minister Shree Kumar Mukherjee Monday visited the spot to monitor the rescue operations.