Kolkata, Nov 30 (IANS): Three persons were killed and four others had a narrow escape when a country boat capsized in the Bhagirathi river at Lalbagh in Murshidabad district of West Bengal.

According to sources, the boat, which started from Sadarghat ferry and was proceeding to Kiriteshwari on the other side of the river, overturned midway throwing seven passengers into the river.

The boatmen somehow managed to rescue four of them.

However, three others went missing.

On being informed, the cops of Murshidabad Police Station reached the spot and finally the bodies were recovered.

Local people alleged that there was excessive weight on the boat, as the boatman agreed to carry a passenger vehicle along with the other passengers on the boat to the other side of the river.

"The boat was tilted on one side since the beginning of its voyage.

In the midway, it lost balance and overturned.

The accident could have been avoided had the boatman declined to carry the passenger vehicle on the boat. Carrying passenger vehicles on the boats is a regular feature here and the administration is taking no action against it," alleged a local resident.