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The overcrowded boat, heavily laden with grain, paddy and vegetables, overturned when a wave swamped and disabled the engine and swept away the rudder and the steersman and his assistant, Deputy Inspector General (Malda range) P K Roy said.
According to him, the boat set sail from Palashgachi village under Rajmahal police station in Jharkhand for the weekly market at Mathurapur.
Roy, who was supervising rescue operations at Manickchawk, said the Calcutta Port Trust has been requested to send divers to assist in the search.
Bardhan said the bodies of two children were recovered, while two others were declared brought dead to the hospital.
Stating that the boat had not less than 150 passengers, Bardhan said adding country boats in the river rescued at least 75 of them.
The police had commandeered launches and five boats to scour the waters for bodies, he informed.
The Farraka Barrage authorities had also been asked to look out for bodies and prevent them from being swept away to neighbouring Bangladesh, Bardhan said.
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