Two die, 10 survive as boat capsizes in river Godavari at Rajamahendravaram

Rajamahendravaram City police retrieve bodies of two drowned after boat capsized in river Godavari, investigation ongoing.

The Rajamahendravaram City police have retrieved the bodies of two persons who drowned after their boat capsized in river Godavari at Havelock Bridge here on Monday (March 03) night. The deceased have been identified as 54-year-old Ch. Annavaram and 23-year-old Gada Raju belonging to Kotilingalaghat area in the city. 

On Monday (March 3), the boat capsized at the eighth pillar of the Havelock Bridge at 7.30 p.m. while a group of 12 persons was returning from Bridge Lanka, an Island where they reportedly attended a function. Ten persons including the boat driver (Sarangi) managed to swim to a safe location. Later, they communicated to the locals about the incident. 

“Two persons have drowned in the incident,” said East Godavari Superintendent of Police D. Narasimha Kishore.

“We have retrieved the two bodies in the early hours of Tuesday. The bodies have been sent to Government General Hospital in the city,” City Central DSP Ramesh Babu who coordinated the search operation, told The Hindu.

“The survivors claimed that they attended a function on the Bridge Lanka island. However, clarity is yet to emerge on the exact reason to cross the river by boat and stay on the island without any official permission. A case has been registered against three survivors who arranged the trip,” said DSP Ramesh Babu.