Tragedy on the Yamuna: Vrindavan Boat Capsize

The Vrindavan boat capsize incident claimed 16 lives as the last missing pilgrim was found. All missing individuals have been accounted for, and a probe into the incident is underway to determine causes and safety lapses.

The tragic boat capsize in Vrindavan along the Yamuna River has claimed a total of 16 lives, with the discovery of the last missing pilgrim's body. Authorities have now accounted for all individuals involved in the unfortunate event, police reported on Thursday.

Superintendent of Police (Rural) Suresh Chandra Rawat confirmed that the body of Pankaj Malhotra, aged 40, was retrieved from under the Panighat bridge after an exhaustive week-long search. Malhotra, hailing from Punjab's Fazilka, was part of a group of pilgrims from Ludhiana, officials stated.

Following the accident on April 10, which resulted from a collision with a pontoon structure near Keshi Ghat, eight injured pilgrims have since been discharged after treatment. A magisterial inquiry led by District Magistrate Chandra Prakash Singh has been launched to explore the causes and potential safety oversights associated with the incident.

(With inputs from agencies.)