KOLKATA: One person drowned and another went missing after a boat capsized in Ichhamati river at Swarupnagar in North 24 Parganas on Sunday afternoon.
Ten staffers of Ramrick Das Harlalka Hospital, who had gone for a picnic, fell in the river and of them eight were rescued. Later, the body of Somnath Sardar (21), was found. Police said that a group of 30 from the hospital had gone for picnic at a park near Ichhamati river. Police are yet to trace another picnicker, Subham Saha (25).
Cops said that all were from Kolkata and North 24 Parganas.
Around dusk, ten of them went for a boat ride, when the boatman lost control. As a result, the boat overturned and ten fell from it. Since the park where the picnickers had gone, is located close to the river bank, they decided to go for a boat ride.
There was a pall of gloom at the hospital as the news of Sardar’s death reached the other staffers there. The police conducted the search operation till late evening.
Even a DMG team from Barasat was brought in but they faced issues due to poor light. The police feared that the body might have been carried away by the tide.
Locals claimed that there was no safety gear in the boat.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/west-bengal-picnicker-drowns-in-ichhamati-boat-capsize/articleshow/80206208.cms
