Six people, including children, were reported missing after a motorized country boat capsized in the Brahmaputra river in Barpeta district of western Assam on Tuesday (January 27, 2026).
The district police said the boat sailing from Rohampur to Borghul had 36 people on board at the time of the tragedy.
“Among the missing passengers are three to four children who were supposed to be attending a family function,” said Senior Superintendent of Police Sushanta Biswa Sarma.
The boat, which reportedly lacked sufficient life jackets, disappeared without a trace after the accident. The survivors either managed to swim to shore or were rescued by fishermen.
The state disaster response force and Barpeta police conducted a rescue operation along with fishermen. Members of the National Disaster Response Force are expected to join the rescue operation, which is due to resume on Wednesday (January 28, 2026).
This is the second motorized boat accident in Assam in less than a year. In June 2025, a boat carrying more than 100 people partially sank in a tributary of the Brahmaputra in Nalbari district.
Published – 27 Jan 2026 19:50 IST
