Rescuers searched the Brahmaputra River in Dhubri district without any result today for the over 100 missing in Assam's ferry disaster even as the Centre got in touch with Bangladesh to locate bodies that may have washed downstream to the neighbouring country.

A day after the double-decker ferry capsized in the river, leaving 103 dead, rescue personnel of the Army, BSF and NDRF were searching the river for the missing people. Two helicopters have also been pressed into operation.

Local people on the India-Bangladesh border in Dhubri reported sighting some bodies driven downstream by the swift currents of the mighty river. Medartary, on the south bank for which the ferry was headed is only 15 km to the Indo-Bangladesh frontier.

The Dhubri Deputy Commissioner, Ms Kumud Chandra Kalita, said: “The death toll may rise as more than 100 are missing and the exact toll will be known after the search operation.”

In Guwahati, the Chief Minister, Mr Tarun Gogoi, said: “The Central government has contacted the Bangladesh government to retrieve bodies that may have been washed downstream.” Mr Gogoi, who has already ordered an inquiry, said bad weather at the spot was hindering rescue operations.

Ex-gratia

The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, has announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh each for next of kin of those drowned.

“An assistance of two lakh rupees has been announced for the next of kin of each of the deceased in the tragedy from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund,” a PMO statement said in Delhi.

The Prime Minister also spoke to the Chief Minister and offered all possible help to the State government in the relief operations.

The Assam government also announced Rs 1.5 lakh to the next of kin of those who perished in the tragedy.

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