A pilgrimage turned tragic for numerous families from Punjab when a boat carrying tourists capsized in the Yamuna River at Vrindavan on Friday, resulting in the deaths of 10 individuals, with 22 others injured and five still unaccounted for. Among the deceased, nine hailed from Punjab and one from Haryana.
Of the nine victims from Punjab, five were from the town of Jagraon, located in Ludhiana district. These individuals had traveled on two buses with a total of 132 pilgrims that departed for Vrindavan on Thursday. A group of 25 to 30 pilgrims chose to take a boat ride at Keshi Ghat, where the disaster occurred after the vessel reportedly collided with a floating pontoon drum.
The incident has devastated many families, with the deceased including two couples and a mother-son pair. Those identified among the victims are Kavita Rani and her son Madhur Bahl from Jagraon (with Kavita’s husband, Vijay, surviving), Charanjit and his wife Pinky from Jagraon, Rakesh Gulati and his wife Anju from Dugri in Ludhiana, Sapna Hans from Moga, Ishaan Kataria from Jagraon, Asha Rani from Hisar (Haryana), and Meenu Bansal from Ludhiana.
A video reportedly capturing the moments leading up to the tragedy surfaced on social media, showing the pilgrims enjoying the boat ride while chanting “Radhe Radhe.” Tragically, none of the passengers were equipped with life jackets.
The majority of the 132 pilgrims were from Jagraon, although others came from nearby districts such as Muktsar and Moga. The trip was organized by the Banke Bihari Club of Jagraon, which has been arranging pilgrimages to Vrindavan annually.
Jagraon DSP Jaswinder Singh Dhindsa stated to The Indian Express that there has been no evidence of negligence on the part of the tour organizers, Lavi and Yashu.
An eyewitness, 32-year-old Shwet Jain from Shastri Nagar, shared his harrowing experience with The Indian Express. He and his mother, Rekha Jain, were aboard the boat when it suddenly struck a pontoon drum. While Shwet sustained serious rib injuries, his mother is currently in critical condition in the ICU of Ram Mission Hospital, Vrindavan.
Shwet expressed his anguish, stating, “My mother wanted to visit Vrindavan following my sister’s recent wedding. Now, she is fighting for her life in the ICU on a ventilator, as water has entered her lungs.” He added that both he and his mother were taken to different hospitals and faced additional challenges due to water damage to their phones and the financial demands of hospital staff.
Another pilgrim, Sonu Kumar, 45, explained that he was at a hotel while others visited temples and went boating. He recounted that those who participated in the boating trip reported the boatman crashing into a floating pontoon, leading to the capsizing.
Ludhiana’s Deputy Commissioner, Himanshu Jain, urged the public to refrain from spreading rumors and inciting panic, assuring that both the District Administration and the Punjab government are actively coordinating with authorities in Vrindavan. He announced the establishment of 24/7 helplines at the Jagraon SDM office and the Deputy Commissioner’s office for assistance.
Vijay, a survivor from Geeta Colony in Jagraon, tragically lost both his wife and son in the incident. He recounted that a group of around 30-32 devotees set out Thursday morning to visit the samadhi of Devraha Baba and encountered trouble while crossing the Yamuna.
According to Vijay, the larger boat malfunctioned midstream, prompting passengers to transfer to smaller boats. Concurrently, a temporary pontoon bridge began to drift with the current, which ultimately struck their boat, causing it to overturn. “Within moments, the bridge collided with our boat, and chaos ensued as people screamed for help,” he recounted.
A young survivor noted that they had repeatedly advised the boatman to slow down due to strong winds and excessive speed. Despite their warnings, the boat, reportedly carrying 25 to 27 people—well beyond its capacity of about 15—crashed into the pontoon bridge after narrowly avoiding it twice before. The vessel capsized, plunging everyone into the river, which is estimated to be around 30 feet deep. “It was utter chaos, with people struggling to stay afloat,” he described.
Rescue efforts were spearheaded not only by official teams but also by local boatmen and workers repairing the pontoon bridge. Many survivors credited these locals and divers for their timely assistance in pulling them from the water. “We were all family, relatives together,” one survivor said, reflecting on the traumatic event. “Some were rescued, but many remain missing or hospitalized. Everything unfolded in an instant,” he added.
District Magistrate Chandra Prakash Singh confirmed the deaths of 10 individuals, with approximately 16 people rescued. However, families at the scene expressed concern that the death toll might rise, as several members of their group are still unaccounted for. The injured have been transported to nearby hospitals, and search operations involving police and SDRF teams are ongoing.
