Tamarhat: Four days after a tragic boat accident in the Gangadhar River at Belpara Char village under Tamarhat Police Station in Dhubri district, the bodies of two missing students are yet to be recovered, raising serious concerns over rescue efforts and accountability.
The incident occurred on February 3 when Abdul Motaleb Sheikh, a resident of Sagunchara village, reportedly took 22 village students across the Gangadhar River to attend a shraddha ceremony at Belpara Char, located along the Assam–Bengal border. It is alleged that the students were taken without informing their parents or guardians. After the ceremony, the group was sent back together in a small country boat, which later capsized midstream while returning.
Panic ensued as the boat overturned. Nineteen students managed to save themselves by swimming to safety, but three minors—Samina Khatun (15), Sah Alam (17), and Mofida Khatun (12)—went missing in the river. Survivors have alleged that despite repeated pleas, Abdul Motaleb Sheikh and Nayeb Ali failed to take immediate steps to rescue the missing students.
Local residents launched a search operation on the same night, followed by another search with police assistance on February 4, during which the body of Samina Khatun was recovered from a distance away from the accident site. However, the bodies of Sah Alam and Mofida Khatun remain untraced.
Since then, joint search operations involving the SDRF, police, and local residents have been continuing, but without success so far. The incident has plunged Sagunchara village and nearby border areas into deep mourning, with families anxiously awaiting closure amid growing anguish and anger.
