Chandigarh, April 10
A devotional trip turned into a tragedy on Friday when a tourist boat carrying pilgrims from Punjab capsized in the Yamuna River near Vrindavan, leaving 10 people dead, 22 injured and five missing. The victims were part of a group that had travelled from Jagraon and Ludhiana to Mathura on a four-day pilgrimage. Officials said the boat was carrying more than two dozen passengers when it drifted into deeper waters near Kesi Ghat and struck a pontoon structure that had remained in the river after a pontoon bridge was dismantled due to rising water levels. The impact is believed to have caused the boat to overturn.
According to officials, nearly 120 pilgrims from Jagraon’s Shri Banke Bihari Club had travelled to Vrindavan in two buses on April 9 for a four-day visit. The victims are largely from the Jagraon and Dugri areas of Ludhiana.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann spoke to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and assured full support from Punjab for rescue and relief efforts. Mann said he was in constant touch with the Uttar Pradesh government and expressed grief over the loss of lives.
Rescue operations were launched soon after the accident by the State Disaster Response Force, the National Disaster Response Force, the Army, local police, civil defence teams and local divers. The deceased include six men and four women. Five people identified as Manik Tandon, Pankaj Malhotra, Rishab Sharma, Yash Bhalla and Monika are still missing.
Among the 22 injured, several people are undergoing treatment, while the condition of others is reported to be stable. Families of the victims have been travelling to Vrindavan to locate their relatives.
In Ludhiana, the district administration has set up dedicated control rooms at the SDM office in Jagraon and the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Ludhiana to assist families. Officials said special teams have been dispatched to Vrindavan for coordination with local authorities. Free treatment is being arranged for the injured.
Several political leaders expressed condolences over the tragedy. Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu expressed grief over the deaths and said that authorities were working on relief and rescue efforts. Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini conveyed his condolences and prayed for the recovery of the injured. Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal and Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring also expressed grief over the loss of lives.
Rescue and search operations are ongoing, with teams working to locate the missing and provide relief to affected families. Authorities in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh continue to coordinate efforts as families wait for news of their loved ones.
