The Raghopur boat tragedy, in which 13 people, mostly children, died, has triggered angry protests against RJD leader and Bihar assembly opposition leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav during his visit to the affected families in Vaishali district. Villagers demanded accountability over boat services and communications in the area, while Yadav sought a high-level probe and strict action against those responsible.
Yadav visited Raghopur on Wednesday night, a day after the boat tragedy, to meet the families of the victims. According to the Times of India report, residents surrounded him and raised slogans calling for his resignation as MLA if he could not address their problems. A video of the visit circulated on social media, showing villagers pushing towards the RJD’s national working president as they voiced their anger.
Despite the protests, Yadav proceeded to the homes of families who had lost children in the incident. Villagers told him that the area lacked proper arrangements for boat services and communication. Their response placed local mobility and emergency connectivity at the centre of the public anger following the deaths.
Raghopur has been represented by Yadav for three consecutive terms since 2015 and has remained a stronghold of his family for more than three decades. His parents, RJD chief Lalu Prasad and former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi, have also represented the constituency for multiple terms. The political significance of the constituency added to the pressure surrounding his visit.
Yadav said he had been in Delhi to attend an opposition protest over what it described as the “murder of democracy and vote theft”. He said he travelled to Raghopur as soon as he received information about the boat tragedy. He demanded a high-level investigation and strict action against those responsible for the incident.
The political response intensified after Union ministers Chirag Paswan, who is also president of the LJP (RV), and Nityanand Rai of the BJP visited the area before Yadav to express sympathy with the affected families. Their visits brought competing political attention to the tragedy as residents sought answers and assistance.
On Thursday, a group of grieving villagers met Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi and sought their help. One villager told the media in Patna that Lalu Prasad had assured them he would do whatever he could for them. The next official steps will depend on the high-level probe sought by Yadav and on action taken in response to concerns over boat operations and communication facilities in Raghopur.
