Rescue ops under way after 10 killed in Mathura boat capsize; PM announces ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for deceased’s kin

MATHURA: Rescue efforts continued on Saturday morning near Keshi Ghat in Vrindavan of Mathura district after at least ten people died in a boat capsize on Friday, officials said. The rescue operations are being carried out by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) will be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured will be given Rs 50,000.

The NDRF teams on Friday retrieved the boat that had capsized. Mathura DIG Shailesh Kumar Pandey said, “The boat has been retrieved after a four-hour continuous effort. The death toll till now is 10, as informed earlier, and their post mortem is almost completed, after which they will be sent off to their homes.”

Agra Divisional Commissioner Nagendra Pratap said rescue operations are still underway and that the injured are being treated in Vrindavan hospitals. He added that five people are still missing. “Rescue operations are under way. Ten people died in the incident, and a post-mortem of the dead bodies is being done before being sent to their respective homes. The injured are being treated in Vrindavan and five are reportedly missing”, he said.

#WATCH | UP: Search and rescue efforts continue to find the remaining missing persons in the Mathura boat capsize tragedy.

Father of Yash Birla, who went missing after the tragedy says, “My son Yash Birla was here in Mathura, Vrindavan… He has not been found yet… We got the… https://t.co/2J9ibMATUh pic.twitter.com/GxeERO68sR

— ANI (@ANI) April 11, 2026

Uttar Pradesh Minister Lakshmi Narayan Chaudhary termed the incident unfortunate and said pilgrims from Haryana and Punjab were affected after a sudden storm led to the capsizing of the boat in the Yamuna.

“It is an unfortunate incident. Pilgrims from Haryana and Punjab drowned after a sudden storm capsized in the River Yamuna. 21 people have been rescued safely and are being given free treatment. 10 dead bodies, including 5 men and 5 women, whose postmortem is going on. Entire district administration is working on the ground, including NDRF and SDRF,” he said.

Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Ludhiana’s Atam Nagar, Kulwant Sidhu, met the families of the victims and expressed condolences. Speaking to reporters, Kulwant Sidhu said, “I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families. Some people are missing.”

Family members of the victims recounted how their relatives had travelled to Mathura and Vrindavan for pilgrimage before the tragedy struck “I had a telephonic conversation with my family member, and they were very happy upon reaching there. Someone from the family called us and told us that their boat had capsized. We were not able to reach out to them. 8-10 people went there from our area,” a relative said.

#WATCH | Ludhiana, Punjab | A family member of the victim says, “Yesterday they left for Mathura, Vrindavan…Around 2.30 pm, they uploaded a video expressing their happiness…My family members are among those affected by the incident…” pic.twitter.com/J6Q8xs6rcY

— ANI (@ANI) April 10, 2026

Another family member of the victim said, “Yesterday they left for Mathura, Vrindavan. Around 2.30 pm, they uploaded a video expressing their happiness. My family members are among those affected by the incident.”

The incident occured after a boat carrying over two dozen passengers collided with a pontoon bridge on the Yamuna River near Keshi Ghat in Mathura. According to police, around 25 to 27 people were on board when the accident took place.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the tragedy, offering condolences to the families of the victims and wishing a speedy recovery for the injured. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath described the incident as “extremely tragic and heart-rending” and said officials have been directed to ensure proper treatment for the injured. (ANI)