Boat capsizes in Virma river in UP, 3 dead

In yet another horrifying incident, at least three people including two children were today killed after a boat capsized in Hamirpur's Virma river in Uttar Pradesh.  As per reports, three others are still missing.

This comes a day after 24 people were killed when a country boat capsized in river Ganga near NIT ghat in Patna, Bihar.  

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today sanctioned an ex-gratia of Rs. two lakh each to the next of kin of those killed in the Bihar boat tragedy. He also announced Rs. 50,000 each to those seriously injured from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had earlier ordered an inquiry into the boat tragedy. The Bihar Government has constituted a three-member inquiry team headed by Principal Secretary of State Disaster Department Pratya Amrit to look into the matter. The state government has announced an ex-gratia of Rs. four lakh to the family of the deceased.

In the wake of the tragedy, a programme to mark the start of redevelopment work of Mahatma Gandhi Setu in Patna which the Prime Minister was to address via video conferencing has been postponed.