Assam: Boat Carrying Schoolchildren Overturns in Dhubri, Three Missing

Panic gripped the banks of the Gangadhar River on Tuesday evening after a country-made boat carrying schoolchildren overturned near Belpara Char in the Tamarhat area of Assam’s Dhubri district, leaving three minors missing.

According to eyewitnesses, 22 children from Shagunchar village had crossed the river in a small boat, locally known as a tulunga nao, to attend a Shraddha feast at a residence in Belpara Char. While they reached the venue safely, the boat reportedly capsized moments after starting the return journey.

The incident triggered chaos along the riverbank. Local residents rushed in and managed to rescue 19 of the children. However, three were swept away by the strong current and could not be traced.

The missing children have been identified as Sah Alam, Mofiza and Sarmin, all residents of Shagunmari village. On receiving information, police and teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) rushed to the spot and launched search and rescue operations.

Confirming the incident, Mithun Roy, Senior Station Officer of Fire and Emergency Service, Dhubri, said efforts were ongoing. “Three children are still missing after a country-made boat capsized in the Gangadhar river. Search and rescue operations are continuing,” he said.

Further details are awaited.

In a separate incident earlier, at least six people went missing after a boat capsized in the Brahmaputra River in the Rahampur area of Barpeta district on January 27. Senior Superintendent of Police Sushanta Biswa Sarma said teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), SDRF and police are engaged in search operations.

Locals alleged that the boat involved was not equipped with life jackets, raising fresh concerns over river safety in Assam.

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