Sourav Ganguly’s Brother Snehasish, Wife Rescued After Boat Capsizes in Puri

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Former Bengal cricketer and current Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president, Snehasish Ganguly, had a miraculous escape after a boat ride at Puri Beach turned into a nightmare.

Snehasish and his wife, Arpita, were rescued by local lifeguards and fishermen after their boat overturned in rough sea conditions on Saturday.

The couple, who have since returned safely to Kolkata, were visibly shaken by the ordeal.

"It was a life-threatening accident. The boat capsized and we were saved by the local people and fishermen," said Ganguly, who is also the elder brother of former India captain and ex-BCCI president Sourav Ganguly to Cricbuzz. "I thank Lord Jagannath. This is sort of second life for us."

Arpita Ganguly, recalling the terrifying experience in a conversation with ETV Bharat, highlighted the negligence on part of the boat operators. She stated that despite the turbulent conditions, the last boat of the day was allowed to sail with minimal crew.

"The sea was already rough and the boat had the capacity of 10 passengers, but due to the greed for money, they were operating with two or three people onboard. It was the last boat operating to go into the sea for the day. We raised concerns regarding it, but the operators told us that it is fine," she recounted.

She went on to describe the moment disaster struck: "The boat encountered a huge wave, which caused it to capsize, throwing all passengers, including herself and her husband, into the sea. The incident left the passengers onboard afloat, with the last struck being me," she said.

Deeply shaken, she added, "We were saved by the grace of God. I am still in trauma. This should not happen, and water sports in the sea must be properly regulated. I will write a letter to the Superintendent of the police and the Chief Minister of Odisha once I go back to Kolkata, asking them to ban the watersports here."

Thanks to the swift efforts of local lifeguards and fishermen, the couple was rescued before things took a worse turn. "Thankfully, the quick action of the lifeguards saved our lives," Arpita added.

Eyewitnesses said a massive wave struck the speedboat, causing it to lose balance and overturn in the deep sea. The accident occurred just as the region braces for rough weather conditions.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), a low-pressure area is likely to form over the west-central and adjoining north Bay of Bengal, leading to heavy rainfall in several parts of Odisha in the coming days. Districts like Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, and Koraput are expected to receive showers on Tuesday, while Puri, Khurdah, and Malkangiri are likely to be affected on Wednesday.

The regional weather office has forecast light to moderate rainfall and thunderstorms across many districts from Monday to Friday. Additionally, strong winds exceeding 45 kmph may sweep along and off the Odisha coast, prompting a warning for fishermen to avoid venturing into the sea from Wednesday onward.