Bhopal: All seven bodies of those who drowned in Mata Tila dam reservoir in a boat accident on March 18 have been recovered by rescue teams, an official said on Wednesday.
The operation, which lasted 24 hours, called off with all bodies sent for post-mortem and an investigation initiated in the incident.
“Divers successfully retrieved all seven bodies, and the rescue operation has now concluded,” confirmed a senior police officer from Shivpuri.
The accident occurred on Tuesday at around 4.45 p.m. when a group of 15 people, all relatives and family members from Rajavan village were on a boat heading to Siddh Baba temple, situated on an island in the middle of the dam reservoir, for the Holi Phaag celebration.
Unfortunately, before reaching their destination, the boat lost balance and capsized, throwing everyone into the water.
Responding to their distress calls, local villagers present nearby, managed to save eight people, but seven others drowned.
The first body, identified as Sharda Lodhi (55), was recovered 17 hours after the mishap on Wednesday morning at around 10 a.m.
Subsequently, the State Disaster Relief Forces (SDRF) retrieved the remaining six victims one by one.
Those who lost their lives included Sharda Lodhi (55), Leela Lodhi (40), Chaina Lodhi (14), Kanha Lodhi (7), Ramdevi Lodhi (35), Shiva Lodhi (8), and Kumkum Lodhi (15).
Meanwhile, the survivors were identified as Shivraj Lodhi (60), Savitri Lodhi (40), Jasan Lodhi (12), Gulab Lodhi (40), Leela Lodhi (45), Ramdevi’s husband Pran Singh Lodhi (50), Usha Lodhi (45), and Pradeep Lodhi (18).
Pradeep was reportedly steering the boat.
Expressing his condolences, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav approved an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh for each of the deceased’s families.
He also emphasised the importance of exercising caution while using boats on lakes and rivers.
The Mata Tila dam, constructed in 1958 on the Betwa River, is situated in Lalitpur, Uttar Pradesh, but shares its border with Madhya Pradesh’s Shivpuri district.
IANS
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