In Assam the divers of the National Disaster Response Force, Army, BSF and Police recovered two more bodies today. With this the total number of dead has gone up to 52. According to officials, 230 victims of the ill-fated ferryboat are still missing. The Deputy Commissioner of Dhubri District Kumud Ranjan Kalita will meet the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) authorities of adjoining Kurigram district of the neighbouring country at Indo-Bangladesh border tomorrow to discuss on the strategy to be adopted to recover the floating bodies in the downstream of the river Brahmaputra.The ferryboat, carrying about 300 to 350 people beyond its capacity, was coming from Dhubri to Medertari ghat when it met with a strong cyclone just before docking on Monday.The Central Government has announced an ex-gratia of two lakh rupees to next of kin of those dead, while the State Government has declared another one lakh fifty thousand rupees to the family of each deceased.AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi today visited the spot of ferryboat tragedy in Dhubri district of Assam on Monday last. He was accompanied by the State Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi They went to the houses of the bereaved family members of the victims and met those injured. They also reviewed the situation with the high officials and reviewed the measures taken to recover the missing bodies.
News On AIR | May 2, 2012 5:55 PM
Assam boat tragedy: Death toll mounts to 52