Overview
- A PWD-operated steamer lost power and began drifting on the Chambal River before local officials sent diesel, refuelled the vessel and guided it to Kachhpura on Sunday with no injuries reported.
- Morena collector Lokesh Jangid told reporters that about 35–40 people were onboard and that the steamer was not equipped with life jackets, prompting the district to notify the Agra administration.
- Passenger videos circulated online showed a crowded vessel and crew using long poles to control drift, while some passengers later alleged the steamer carried far more people and motorcycles than officials reported.
- One passenger claimed a piece of cloth fouled the propeller but authorities say the vessel ran out of fuel; passengers have called for an administrative inquiry into capacity, safety checks and possible negligence.
- Officials have asked the Agra PWD to supply life jackets and ensure SDRF personnel are deployed on such crossings, a measure aimed at tightening safety on river routes used heavily for pilgrimages.