16 pilgrims drown, 20 missing as boat capsizes

Narsapuram, Jan 30: A boat carrying more than 65 pilgrims capsized at the mouth of the river Godavari at Veeyaputippa near Upputeru in Narsapuram mandal of West Godavari district on Saturday morning.According to police sources, 16 bodies were recovered and more than 20 persons are missing since the mishap. Search was on for the missing persons.

Local people are believed to have rescued 40 persons.The pilgrims were going to Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy’s Antarvedi temple on the other side of the river. The boat was carrying more people than its capacity, which led to the mishap, police sources said.More divers have been pressed into service to fish out the remaining victims.