BODY OF MINOR GIRL FOUND AFTER 32 HOURS

BODY OF MINOR GIRL FOUND AFTER 32 HOURS

2-APRIL-ENG 4

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

BUXAR-------------------------Thirty-two hours after the tragic boat-capsizing accident in the Ganga's floodplain, the body of the missing 10-year-old girl, Neha Kumari, was finally recovered. On Wednesday evening, around 4:00 PM, an NDRF team retrieved the body from the water following tireless efforts. As soon as the innocent child's body was brought to the riverbank, the entire atmosphere became steeped in sorrow amidst the wailing and cries of the relatives present there.

Neha has been identified as the only daughter of Lalbabu Ram, a resident of Navrang Rai ka Dera village. Upon seeing his daughter's body, her father, Lalbabu Ram, collapsed in shock, while her mother and other relatives were inconsolable, weeping bitterly. Even the women of the village could not hold back their tears upon witnessing this heart-wrenching scene. It is reported that on Tuesday morning, a boat filled with women heading to the fields for crop harvesting capsized in the Ganga's floodplain. In this accident, a dozen women managed to swim to safety, but Neha was swallowed by the deep waters. Since the incident occurred, the NDRF team, along with local divers, had been continuously engaged in the search operation.

A pall of mournful silence has descended upon the entire village of Navrang Rai ka Dera following the news of Neha's death. The very home where the child's joyful laughter once echoed is now filled only with screams of anguish and the sound of sobbing. According to the villagers, Neha was the only child of her parents; consequently, this tragedy has shattered the family's entire world.

Upon receiving information about the incident, the local police arrived at the scene, took custody of the body, completed the necessary preliminary formalities, and sent it for a post-mortem examination. Administrative officials also visited the site to assess the situation.

This incident has once again exposed the harsh reality of the Diara region, where farmers and agricultural laborers are compelled to risk their lives in the pursuit of a livelihood. Farming is impossible without crossing the Ganges and its tributaries, and in the absence of safe alternatives, boats remain their only recourse. The villagers state that such accidents occur every year, yet no concrete initiatives are undertaken to find a permanent solution. They have demanded that the administration construct a permanent pontoon bridge in the Diara region so that the people may be spared from such perilous journeys. Neha's death has once again raised the question: how long will poor laborers be forced to stake their very lives merely to earn their daily bread?