Jagraon, April 11 Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said on Saturday that the boat that capsized in Vrindavan was carrying more people than its capacity, without any life jackets, highlighting the lack of safety measures behind the accident.
Mann also confirmed that another body was recovered from the river, bringing the death toll in the accident that occurred on Friday to 11, while four people were still missing. Twenty-two pilgrims were safely rescued from the Yamuna by rescue personnel in Mathura.
He said his government will talk to the Uttar Pradesh administration so that such incidents do not take place again.
"Millions of people visit there. Such incidents should not happen again. We will certainly discuss this with them," the chief minister said.
Mann expressed grief with the families of the victims, most of whom were pilgrims from Jagraon and Dugri areas of Ludhiana district in Punjab.
"Eleven bodies have been found and four are still missing," Mann said. A team of divers was making efforts to find the missing people, he said.
The body of Manik Tandon, who was among the five who were missing, has been found, Mann told reporters after attending the cremation of victims from Jagraon. He also visited the residences of the victims in Jagraon and expressed condolences to their families.
When asked about reported negligence by the boat operators, Mann said the boat was carrying 32 people against a capacity of 15-16. "There were no life jackets. It is a matter of investigation," he said.
"There seems to be a lack of people's safety somewhere or other," Mann said.
According to officials, the victims were part of a group of about 120 pilgrims who had left for a four-day trip to Vrindavan in two buses on April 9. Authorities in UP have arrested the operator of the ill-fated vessel on Saturday.