Sixteen Pilgrims Drown As Boat Capsizes In Ganges

Sixteen people, including several women and children, drowned in the Ganges river near the banks of the holy Hindu city of Varanasi when an overloaded boat of pilgrims capsized, police said. The boat, which was carrying 25 passengers, was fit to only carry eight people, police official Ajay Singh said.Five women and three children were among the dead, while nine people managed to swim to safety. Police have detained the owner of the boat. Many Hindus visit the city of Varanasi to bathe in the waters of the Ganges, which is believed to wash away sins.