A video from Bihar’s flood-prone district Purnia has captured the attention of the nation, showing a group of villagers facing a life-threatening situation while attempting to cross a flowing river in a makeshift boat.
The incident reportedly took place on Wednesday, October 16, as the group of villagers were on their way to attend the funeral of Jamil, a resident of Bhagtahir village. Due to severe flooding in the area, land routes to the nearby cemetery were impassable, prompting the villagers to opt for the river as a means of transportation.
The video that has gone viral shows approximately 14 to 20 people including children in the flatboat crossing the river and it suddenly capsizing in the middle of the river. The boat reportedly became unstable due to the excessive weight of passengers. However, all people aboard managed to swim to safety, and those who could not swim, held onto the ropes tied to the shore.
The incident has sparked outrage on social media with people raising questions about infrastructure in rural Bihar. Due to the inadequacy of bridges in this region, residents rely on makeshift solutions in which they endanger their lives.
Follow on Twitter | Posted by Sayima Ahmad | 
