Abohar, April 12: The death toll from the boat tragedy in Vrindavan has increased to 11 following the recovery of a young man’s body from the Yamuna River on Saturday morning. The victim, identified as Manik from Abohar, was located by rescue teams a day after a vessel carrying pilgrims primarily from Punjab capsized during a religious outing.
Communities across the Malwa belt were enveloped in grief as the final rites for eight of the victims were conducted on Saturday. In Jagraon, thousands gathered at the Agwar Crematorium to pay their respects to Kavita Behal, Charanjit, Madhur Behal, Pinky Behal, and Ishan Kataria. Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann attended the ceremonies to offer condolences directly to the bereaved relatives.
“The Punjab Government stands firmly with them in this hour of crisis,” Mann stated during his visit. The Chief Minister affirmed that he remains in constant communication with the Uttar Pradesh government to facilitate rescue operations and support for the survivors. He declared that the state had dispatched specialist diving teams to assist in the ongoing search efforts.
In response to inquiries regarding future safety, Mann said he had discussed the implementation of stricter safeguards with UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to prevent similar occurrences. He also maintained that an appropriate memorial would be constructed in honor of the deceased, with the specific nature of the monument to be determined in consultation with the families.
The impact of the tragedy was felt across several districts, with victims hailing from Ludhiana, Moga, and Jalalabad. In Moga, residents mourned Sapna Hans, who had traveled to Vrindavan with her husband to celebrate their wedding anniversary. In Abohar, the loss of Manik, whose wedding had been scheduled for September, left the Nai Abadi area in shock. Local markets in Jagraon remained shuttered as a mark of respect for the lives lost.
