Berhampore: In a tragic incident late Friday night, 13 labourers were feared drowned in the turbulent waters of the Ganga River near Dhuliyan, following a boat capsize. The incident occurred when a group of migrant workers from Bankura, desperate to cross the river, allegedly pressured two local fishing boatmen to ferry them across, despite the ferry service being closed.According to police sources, the migrant workers had arrived at the Dhuliyan Kalabagan ferry ghat, seeking a way to reach their destination at Malda Bhaisnav Nagar Parlal Pur ferry ghat. In their urgency, they offered a fee of Rs 800 to the boatmen, who, despite the dangerous conditions, agreed to take them across.Eyewitnesses reported that the two fishing boats collided in the midstream, leading to a catastrophic capsizing due to the strong currents of the Ganga. The dark night and bad weather conditions further complicated the situation, making it difficult for the boatmen to navigate safely.As news of the incident spread, a joint search operation was launched by the Border Security Force (BSF), local residents, and the police. Their efforts have so far resulted in the rescue of 12 of the missing migrant workers, who were found struggling in the water. However, one individual, identified as Jahangir Seikh, remains unaccounted for, raising fears that he may have drowned.In a statement, Ramen Mondal, the owner of the two fishing boats, expressed his devastation over the incident. He explained that the fishermen were pressured into taking the workers across the river and that they had hurriedly boarded the small boats without fully assessing the risks involved. The local police have since seized the two fishing boats involved in the incident and detained the boatmen for questioning.
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