Teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are carrying out an intensive search operation along the stretch of the Gangadhar River in western Assam’s Dhubri district to trace three students who went missing on Tuesday after a country boat ferrying them capsized in the river. A group of 22 students had travelled to the riverine island to perform shraddh , a traditional funeral ritual when the mishap took place at Belpara Char in the Tamarhat area. According to witnesses, the boat lost balance midway through the return journey and overturned in the river. Even as most of the other students managed to swim to safety, the trio were swept away by the strong current of the fast-flowing river. The missing students been identified as Saha Alom, Mofida and Sharmin, all residents of Shagunsara village under Tamarhat police station.
Police personnel from the Sotoguma police station rushed to the spot to initiate preliminary response measures soon after being informed about the incident. Officials said that rescue efforts were hampered by the river’s depth, strong currents and low visibility after dusk on Tuesday, officials said.
“Our top priority is to locate the missing students. All available resources have been mobilised for the search,” an official stated. The incident has once again brought to the fore the dangers of river transport in Dhubri’s char areas, where country boats remain the primary mode of travel despite challenging river conditions and safety risks.