Boat capsizes in Assam’s Dhubri district; school students, government official among several missing

Locals claimed that around 100 passengers were travelling on the boat in the Brahmaputra river and 10 motorcycles were loaded onto it

A government official and school students were among several missing as a boat carrying many passengers capsized in the Brahmaputra River in Assam's Dhubri district on Thursday, officials said.

Locals claimed that around 100 passengers were travelling on the boat and 10 motorcycles were loaded onto it.

The Bhashani-bound boat hit the post of a bridge at Adabari, around 3 km from Dhubri town, and capsized, an official said, adding that 15 people have been rescued so far.

Several school children were on board and none have been rescued so far, he said.

Dhubri Circle Officer Sanju Das, along with a land record official and an office staff were also travelling on the boat to survey an erosion-hit area.

Mr. Das remains missing, while the two others managed to swim to safety. Locals launched a rescue operation with country boats.

Divers from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have also been deployed, another official at Guwahati said.