Ten people lost their lives, while 22 others were rescued after a pilgrimage turned tragedy for visitors, primarily from Punjab, after their boat capsized in Yamuna river in Vrindavan.
The tragedy unfolded in the Mathura district on Friday afternoon when the group of over 30 visitors, mostly from Jagraon town in Ludhiana, hired the boat at Keshi Ghat for a joyride.
A video has emerged from moments before the tragedy showed the pilgrims on the boat clapping and chanting “Radhe Radhe”.
The video, possibly recorded by one of the visitors, showed none of the passengers on the boat seemed to have life jackets. The video was said to have been made before the tragedy struck.
How boat ride turned tragedy
A pontoon bridge that was recently dismantled due to rising water levels is said to have been the primary trigger behind the disaster.
According to a PTI report, which cited authorities, said one of the pontoon drums that were floating in the water collided with the boat, leading to the tragedy.
Eyewitnesses said the boat began to sway violently due to gusty winds, and then its speed increased before it collided with a pontoon, causing it to overturn.
Shwet Jain, a 32-year-old Ludhiana resident whose mother is on ventilator support, questioned why boats were allowed near repair zones.
“An iron bridge was floating in the river, and the boatman tried to push it away with the boat. That caused the mishap. Help did not arrive immediately after we capsized,” he said.
The group on the boat was part of a larger group of 132 tourists who came in two buses from Ludhiana and Muktsar districts of Punjab to visit Mathura and Vrindavan.
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