Guwahati: On Wednesday, at about 4 pm, a dreadful incident took place around 15 minutes away from Nimati Ghat in Jorhat.
A ferry by the name 'Ma Kamala' capsized after it collided with another ferry, 'MB Tipkai' at around 4 pm at Nimati Ghat in Jorhat. Ma Kamala was leaving Nimati Ghat when it hit MB Tipkai, which was coming from Majuli.
As per reports, 87 passengers have been rescued while 2 are still missing. One death has been confirmed.
The deceased is identified as Parimita Das, who was 30 years old at the time of her death. She was declared 'brought dead' by Jorhat Medical College and Hospital.
It is also to be noted that 8 passengers are undergoing treatment at Jorhat Medical College and Hospital and a hotel has been arranged for those who required accommodation.
Sadly, this is the third time a case of a boat sinking, claiming the lives of its passengers, has hit the news.
The first time that a boat capsized in the mighty Brahmaputra was on April 30, 2012. The ferry which was carrying around 350 passengers overturned as a cyclone took over near the Fakiragram village in Dhubri, Assam.
The intensity of the cyclone was such that it split the ferry into two causing it to sink immediately. One of the surviving passengers of the tragedy informed, "Passengers had begged the skipper to beach the ferry on a sandbar when the storm hit midstream, but he refused. Then the storm became more intense and the boat split into two parts before sinking."
A similar incident took place years later on September 5, 2018, near the Ashwaklanta temple in North Guwahati. A motorboat by the name 'Brahmaputra' capsized after it hit a pole and capsized. The boat was carrying 36 passengers. Several people were reported dead in the incident.
All these incidents received an outpour of condolences from the influential leaders of the state and central governments on social media. However, no major steps have been taken by the Assam government to stop these incidents from re-occurring.
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