KOLKATA: Five persons drowned in Beldanga town of West Bengal's Murshidabad district, during the immersion of Goddess Durga on Monday evening. Preliminary investigation by police revealed that a boat with the idol was carrying people beyond its capacity and as a result, a portion of the floor of the boat came off because of overloading.
Eyewitnesses told police that puja organisers took the idols of Goddess Durga and her children in two boats to the middle of a local river where they immersed other idols. "The incident took place when the organisers were about to immerse the goddess. Suddenly the boat turned upside down. Sensing danger, some of the riders jumped into the river while some got trapped under the idol," said an officer of local police station.
Most of the people managed to swim back to the bank while five others drowned. The local people alleged had there been proper police vigilance, the tragedy could have been averted.