MP boat tragedy: Five bodies recovered, two missing

Bhopal, March 19
After 15 hours of rescue operations, five bodies, including those of two children, have been recovered from the Mata Tila Dam reservoir in Madhya Pradesh's Shivpuri district, police sources reported.

Divers are continuing their search for the remaining two individuals who are still missing.

The incident occurred around 4.45 p.m. on Tuesday when a boat carrying 15 individuals capsized in the reservoir. Eight of them managed to escape to safety.

The passengers were on their way to attend a religious event related to ‘Faag’ (Holi) at the Siddh Temple, a site of religious importance located on an island in the reservoir.

Among those who lost their lives were Sharda Lodhi (55), Shiva Lodhi (8), and Kanha Lodhi (7). The identities of two of the deceased have yet to be confirmed by the police.

Authorities stated that the chances of survival for the missing individuals are slim. Initially, seven people -- three women and four children -- were reported missing following the tragedy.

On Wednesday around 10 a.m., the body of Sharda, wife of Imrat Lodhi, was retrieved from the reservoir.

Shortly afterwards, the bodies of another woman and two children were also recovered.

Search operations for the remaining two individuals are ongoing, with divers and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) actively involved.

Locals acted swiftly, rescuing eight individuals immediately after the accident.

The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Dr Mohan Yadav, has announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh for the families of the victims.

According to police, the boat suddenly lost balance and overturned on the way. All the boat riders were from Rajavan village of Shivpuri district and were 110 km away from district headquarters when the incident occurred. The Mata Tila dam is constructed on the Betwa River in Uttar Pradesh but it shares its border with Madhya Pradesh.