At least 24 passengers were killed and many others were missing as a boat carrying 40 people capsized in the Ganga river near Patna on Saturday evening, officials said.
Only eight people were rescued so far.
The bodies of 24 passengers have been recovered, while eight people are being treated at the Patna Medical College and Hospital, said Patna SSP Manu Maharaj.
According to eyewitnesses, the overcrowded boat was returning from a kite flying festival, organised as part of Makar Sankranti by the state Tourism Department, when the incident took place around 6 p.m.
Rescue operations were hampered since it was already dark by the time. Six of the eight people rescued were pulled out from the river by the National Disaster Response Force, a team of which was deployed for the rescue operations.
Patna District Magistrate Sanjay Agarwal and district police officials are camping at the site.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has ordered a probe into the incident.
The state government also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the next of the kin of the victims.
Meanwhile, the ruling JD-U postponed its state President Vashisht Narain Singh's Makar Sankranti feast planned for Sunday.
A boat carrying 40 people capsizes in river Ganga in Patna (Bihar). Rescue operations underway. pic.twitter.com/HfyKQ6jiUm
— ANI (@ANI_news) January 14, 2017
Patna boat capsize incident: Death toll rises to 19, Rs 4 lakh compensation each to be given to the kin of the deceased persons. pic.twitter.com/aWbQaEnojA
— ANI (@ANI_news) January 14, 2017
'Dahi-Chura' feast of #Makarsankranti tomorrow has been cancelled by JDU in view of the death of 19 persons in Bihar boat tragedy.
— ANI (@ANI_news) January 14, 2017
Boat tragedy: Bihar CM requests Union Minister Nitin Gadkari to postpone public event scheduled for tomorrow., to be attended by both.
— ANI (@ANI_news) January 14, 2017
Chhapra, Latest visuals from the spot: 20 dead in Bihar boat tragedy pic.twitter.com/3un9QnzmOx
— ANI (@ANI_news) January 14, 2017
#BiharBoatTragedy Death toll in rises to 21; Search and rescue operations underway pic.twitter.com/M9mVAHt97k
— ANI (@ANI_news) January 15, 2017
Bihar: List of missing persons put up on board at the Patna Medical College & Hospital, family members await info #BiharBoatTragedy pic.twitter.com/vB1WPP8edR
— ANI (@ANI_news) January 15, 2017
#WATCH: Dramatic visuals of #BiharBoatTragedy; 21 bodies recovered so far (Source: Amateur video) pic.twitter.com/utiOE2SS17
— ANI (@ANI_news) January 15, 2017
#BiharBoatTragedy: Search and rescue operations by NDRF teams underway; 21 bodies recovered so far. pic.twitter.com/KEfje1GtMv
— ANI (@ANI_news) January 15, 2017
#BiharBoatTragedy: Visuals of NDRF teams conducting search and rescue operations; Death toll rises to 24. pic.twitter.com/DX7zkHwLpx
— ANI (@ANI_news) January 15, 2017