Authorities Held Accountable After Raghopur Boat Tragedy

The Raghopur boat tragedy that claimed the lives of thirteen children has ignited a demand for accountability across Bihar. The ill‑fated boat, meant for a maximum of five occupants, was crammed with over twenty passengers and bore more than twenty punctures in its hull. A makeshift seal of cloth and a sack was used to close a one‑foot gash, but the repair failed as water rushed in.

Seventy‑year‑old boatman Bindeśhwar Rai, who survived the sinking, testified that the driver was a rookie who could not gauge the river’s depth. Rai said he had handed over the paddle to the inexperienced driver, believing the child could manage, but the overloaded condition caused the vessel to wobble and plunge.

Following the incident, families of the victims protested, urging swift action. The district’s Divisional Officer, Varsha Singh, announced a compensation of four lakh rupees per family and ordered a comprehensive inquiry. She directed the sub‑divisional magistrate and the station house officer to provide full explanations, and placed their salaries on hold until the probe concludes.