NEW DELHI, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The death toll in Thursday's boat capsizal in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh has risen to 19 as rescues are searching for the missing, police said.
The boat capsized in River Yaumna in Bagpat district on the outskirts of New Delhi.
"So far we have managed to fish out 19 bodies from the river," a police official posted at superintendent of police office in Bagpat told Xinhua. "Twelve persons rescued alive are undergoing treatment in local hospitals."
According to the officials, the boat was carrying around 60 people when it capsized in Bagpat district falling in the National Capital Region (NCR).
Following the boat capsizal in the morning, the official said they rushed police and disaster management officials to the spot to carry out rescue work.
"We have pressed in our men at several spots along the stretch of the river to search for the missing," the official said. "It is feared the death toll in the tragedy might go up further."
Eyewitnesses said some people had managed to swam safely to the river bank.
Police said the deaths triggered anger among the villagers, who have blocked traffic on the Delhi-Saharanpur highway and vandalized some vehicles.
Authorities said they have ordered an investigation into the accident though apparently overcrowding is said to be the cause.
Villagers told the media the victims were daily wage labourers on their way to neighbouring Haryana state looking for work.
Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath has expressed grief over the tragedy and announced a compensation of 3,121 U.S. dollars to each family that have lost its member in the accident.
In April this year, 13 people were drowned after a boat carrying them capsized in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.
