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Updated: Oct 05, 2019 11:28 IST

The death toll in the boat capsize in Mahananda river bordering West Bengal and Bihar rose to eight on Saturday after four more bodies were recovered by rescue teams, a police said. The bodies were fished out from the river at Chanchal area in Malda district of West Bengal on Saturday morning, Malda Superintendent of Police Alok Rajoria said. NDRF and SDRF were carrying out search operations, he said, reports PTI.

Earlier, four persons were reported to have drowned while several others were missing after an overcrowded boat carrying them capsized in Nagri river, a tributary of Mahananda river, at the Bihar-Bengal border on Thursday evening. The bodies had been fished out from the river bordering Katihar district in Bihar and Malda district in West Bengal.

Deputy Superintendent of Police, Barsoi, Pankaj Kumar, said the incident took place around 8.15 pm on Thursday close to Jagannathpur Ghat when residents of Wajidpur village in Katihar district were returning after shopping in Rampur Haat market of the adjoining state, situated right across the river. A total of nine people were admitted to a hospital in Malda district after they were rescued, the District Magistrate (DM) of Malda, Kaushik Bhattacharya had said.

The boat carrying close to 80 people had capsized in the river on Thursday when residents of Wajidpur village in Bihar were returning after shopping in Rampur Haat market of the adjoining state which is situated right across the river.

“Prima facie, it appears to be a case of overloading. The boat had a capacity of 40 passengers but was carrying almost double the number. So far, three unidentified bodies of an elderly man, a woman and a child have been recovered,” the officer said. “Many of those riding the boat either swam to safety or were rescued by onlookers. About two dozen people are yet to be traced ... professional divers have been deployed for the purpose,” he said.

Katihar’s district magistrate Punam (known by single name), however, said the boat had capsized in Malda district of West Bengal. “However, we are assisting the Malda district administration and police in rescue work,” she said.

(With PTI inputs)