Tragedy Strikes Assam: Boat Capsize Claims Five Lives

In Assam's Goalpara district, the bodies of two more victims from a boat capsize were recovered, raising the death toll to five. The boat had been returning from a cremation ceremony. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited the site, met the bereaved family, and announced Rs 4 lakh ex gratia for each victim's kin.

In a tragic incident in Assam's Goalpara district, the bodies of two more victims from a boat capsize were found on Friday, bringing the death toll to five, according to local authorities.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited the accident site and met with the grieving family members. During his visit, he announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 4 lakh for the next of kin of each victim.

The small boat, carrying about 20 individuals, sank into flood waters at Simlitola in the Rongjuli police station area on Thursday. Three bodies were recovered the same day, while the remaining two were found on Friday. The deceased are Gouranga Malakar, Uday Sarkar, Jitu Karmakar, Prasenjit Saha, and Sujan Malakar, all from the same family. The victims were returning after cremating one Anjana Malakar when the accident happened.

Expressing his condolences, CM Sarma said, 'Five people have died in the accident and all were relatives of Anjana Malakar. The entire village is mourning the deaths. We also visited the bereaved family to pay our condolences.' He further stated that the government would look into additional ways to assist the grieving family, who have lost both loved ones and their primary source of income due to the tragedy.