10 feared drowned in Sutlej

JALANDHAR, Oct 20 (UNI) — Eight people were feared drowned (10 according to PTI) in a boat tragedy in the river Sutlej near village Khera Fauja Singh in Nakodar sub-division of the district on Sunday.

Deputy Commissioner Som Parkash, who returned from the site here on Sunday night, told UNI today that three bodies, two of women and one of a child, has been fished out of the river so far and efforts were being made to trace the remaining. He said he had requested the Army for divers but they were yet to reach the site.

Mr Som Parkash said the tragedy occurred around 3.30 p.m., when the boat, making its third trip across the river towards Ludhiana district, was caught in a whirlpool and capsized, resulting in the tragedy. He said while eighteen people, including three men manning the boat, swam ashore, the remaining, estimated at eight, drowned.

The Deputy Commissioner said authorities at Harike Pattan barrage, where the Sutlej meets the Beas, had been alerted to look for bodies. Authorities in Ferozepore and Amritsar districts had also been alerted to look for the bodies as the Sutlej enters Pakistan through the border of the two districts.

Mr Som Parkash said search and rescue operation had been hampered by the fast current. Though the discharge, estimated at between 40,000 to 45,000 cusecs, was tolerable for this time of year. Since the boatmen had already made two trips towards Sidhwan Bet village in Jagraon area of Ludhiana district, he has no reason to suspect that the boatmen took unusual risk in rowing across for the third time in the day

He said the tragedy occurred soon after the boat left on its journey and was caught in the whirlpool formed by gushing waters after hitting a spur built to protect the kutcha embankment, popularly known as Dhussi.

The Deputy Commissioner said the depth of water at the site of the tragedy was estimated to be between ten to 13 metres.

He replied in the negative when asked if the tragedy was caused by a sudden release of waters into the river by the Bhakra Beas Management Board authorities.

PTI adds: The Gimcrack boat was often used by villagers to cross the river in order to avoid a one-and-half hour detour to reach their fields and was carrying 24 people on the fateful day.

While three bodies were recovered by the police party despatched in the evening seven were still missing. Rescue efforts were on with divers requisitioned from ROAF, Ropar combing the waters but experts on the spot said there was little hope of finding anyone alive.

For villagers of Khera Fauja Singh near Sidhwan Bet falling under Jagraon police district of Ludhiana, this was the first tragedy of its kind. The boat had been used for years and at Rs 2 per trip for a person provided a cheap mode of crossing the river.

The boat turned turtle nearly 50 yards from the bank.

Hundreds of residents of Khera Fauza Singh and adjoining villages today blocked the state highway at Kanwanwala Pattan bridge protesting against the "apathetic attitude of the administration in searching for bodies of people who died in a boat mishap.

Since Army divers requested by the administration did not reach the site, no rescue operation could be mounted yesterday, leading to the people’s protest.

Deputy Commissioner Som Parkash and SSP Paramjit Singh Gill had to rush to the area to persuade the agitators to lift the dharna which resulted in blockade of traffic bound for Moga, Ferozepore and towns of south Punjab and Ganganagar in adjoining Rajasthan.

The Deputy Commissioner and the SSP were camping at Mehatpur near Nakodar when reports last came in.