At least ten people lost their lives and 22 others were rescued after a boat carrying pilgrims capsized in the Yamuna River at Vrindavan, in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura district. The tragedy occurred on a Friday afternoon, turning a religious pilgrimage into a disaster for visitors who were predominantly from Punjab.
Video footage that emerged from the incident showed passengers aboard the overcrowded vessel chanting 'Radhe Radhe' — a devotional chant associated with the Hindu deity Radha — moments before the boat overturned. Witnesses and survivors reported that none of the passengers had been provided with life jackets or safety vests, raising serious questions about the safety standards enforced by boat operators at the popular pilgrimage site.
Rescue operations were launched promptly by local authorities and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), who pulled 22 survivors from the river. The bodies of the deceased were recovered from the Yamuna. Officials confirmed that the boat was overcrowded at the time of the incident, a recurring safety concern at religious tourism sites along India's rivers.
Local authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, with questions being raised about the enforcement of safety regulations for river boat operators in the Mathura-Vrindavan area. The Uttar Pradesh government expressed condolences to the families of the victims. Boat operators in the region have faced repeated criticism for flouting safety norms, including overloading vessels and failing to provide passengers with life-saving equipment.
