A boat carrying about 300 people capsized in Brahmaputra river after it
was caught in a cyclonic storm.At least 100 people are feared dead in
the mishap, which occurred in western Assam’s Dhubri district around 5
pm.


“Motorized ferries and country boats tend to be overloaded in
these parts. Locals said the ill-fated ferry sailing southeast
from Dhubri town to Hatsinghimari had 300 people aboard, but 80-100
people managed to swim to safety,” district police chief Pradip Saloi
said from Dhubri town.

Dhubri town, 287km west of Guwahati, is
on the northern bank of river Brahmaputra and borders Bangladesh. Part
of the district is on the river’s southern bank. The spot where the boat
sank falls under Fakirganj police station.

“Seven bodies were
recovered till 7.30 pm though we fear the toll could be much higher,” he
said before boarding a ferry with deputy commissioner Kumud Kalita to
reach the mishap site. Unconfirmed reports put the body count at 68 till
9.30 pm.