Bihar: 16 fall overboard after boat crash due to electric shock in Chhapra; search for missing underway

Chhapra (Bihar) [India], September 20 (ANI): A tragic incident occurred in Bihar's Saran district, where a boat rescuing 16 people from flooded areas collided with an electric pole and crashed due to an electric shock, causing several people to fall off the boat. The incident took place near the Jaitia Powerhouse in the Sonepur police station area on Thursday evening.
According to the Saran Police, the boat was travelling through floodwaters when it came in contact with an electric pole, resulting in an electric shock that caused the boat to crash. 16 people, including the boatman, were on board at the time. Local divers and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team rushed to the scene after receiving information about the accident.
Sonpur Police Station Head Rajnandan confirmed the details, saying, "On Thursday evening around 6:30 pm, a boat in flood water near Jaitia Power House under Sonepur police station collided with an electric pole, due to which the boat crashed due to electric shock. A total of 16 people, including the sailor, fell in the water."
Out of the 16 people, 10 were rescued safely by the local divers and the SDRF team. Two individuals, Bhushan Rai and Kameshwar Rai, suffered burn injuries due to the electric shock and are currently being treated at a local hospital. Four people, identified as Mukesh Kumar, Mrityunjay Kumar, Nagendra Rai, and Bhishma Kumar, are still missing. The search operation for them is ongoing with the help of local divers and SDRF teams.
Saran Police have deployed forces to maintain law and order at the site of the incident. Senior officials are currently present at the location, overseeing the rescue and search operations. "The injured are being treated, and the missing people are being searched with the help of local divers and SDRF team," said the police in their official statement. (ANI)