Eight persons drowned and three others were feared missing as a boat capsized in Sone River near Dhauri-Bhuia ghat in Bihar's Bhojpur district this morning. Superintendent of Police (SP) M R Naik said, the mishap occurred as an overcrowded boat carrying about 35 to 40 people from Dhauri village in Bhojpur district to Masarwa village in neighbouring Arwal district capsized in mid-stream. Mr Naik said eight persons met a watery grave, while three others were feared missing, adding four others were rescued by divers and taken to a hospital for treatment.At least six swam to safety, while the fate of the remaining occupants of the ill-fated boat was not known as yet. The National Disaster Relief Team (NDRF) divers from Patna have rushed to the spot to supervise rescue and search operations.Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has expressed grief over the boat tragedy and announced ex-gratia of two lakhs rupees to the kin of those dead .