Mathura boat tragedy: Death toll rises to 15, search continues for missing

Mathura: The death toll in the Mathura boat accident has risen to 15 after rescue teams recovered two more bodies of missing persons from the Yamuna River, officials said on Monday.

One of the deceased has been identified as Yash Bhalla, also known as Yuvraj, a resident of Punjab. The other victim has been identified as Monica.

Yash Bhalla’s body was located along the banks near Devraha Baba Ghat, close to Keshi Ghat, officials confirmed. The remains were reported to be in a mutilated condition when recovered.

The bodies were retrieved by a team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) as part of the ongoing search operation. Police have taken custody of the remains and sent them for post-mortem examination.

Search efforts are still underway to trace one remaining missing person, with authorities deploying drones to aid in the operation.

Personnel from the Army’s Strike One Corps, along with NDRF teams, continue to be engaged in the extensive search and recovery efforts in the area.

The incident occurred on the afternoon of April 10 in Vrindavan, when a boat carrying tourists, most of them from Punjab, capsized in the Yamuna.

According to officials, the passengers were part of a larger group of around 150 pilgrims from Ludhiana and Muktsar districts who had travelled to Vrindavan.

The accident took place near Keshi Ghat when the boat, carrying more than two dozen people, drifted into deeper waters and struck an object in the river.

Authorities said that a pontoon bridge in the area had recently been dismantled due to rising water levels, leaving behind floating pontoon drums. It is suspected that the boat may have collided with one of these drums.

IANS