The boat overturned and the police personnel jumped into the river to save the dignitaries.

Highlights A boat carrying BJP leaders overturned in a river in Basti in UP

They took the boat to immerse ashes of late PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee

The incident happened near river bank so nothing major happened: Official

Senior BJP leaders, including an MP and a legislator in the state Assembly, had a narrow escape on Saturday evening when the boat they had taken to immerse the ashes of late prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee overturned in a river in Basti in Uttar Pradesh.

Former state BJP chief Ramapati Ram Tripathi, MP Harish Dwivedi, legislator Days Ram Chowdhary, senior BJP leaders and Superintendent of Police Dilip Kumar were on the overcrowded boat, sources said.

They said the boat overturned and the police personnel immediately jumped into the river to save the dignitaries.

District Magistrate Raj Shekhar told IANS that the incident happened near the banks, so nothing major happened and that those who had fallen into the river were brought to safety immediately.