An infant died and six persons were reported “missing” after the boat they were in capsized in the middle of the Brahmaputra in Barpeta district of lower Assam on Sunday night.

A source in the police said at least 14 persons, returning from a wedding, were on board the country-made motorised boat that was sailing from Tenglasuti in Barpeta to Deuhaldia in Goalpara district.

He said the boat capsized because of bad weather and storm.

Seven persons were rescued by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the river police on Sunday night. They were taken to a hospital in critical condition.

The missing persons have been identified as Hanif Ali, 35, the owner of the boat, Bahula Khatun, 30, Billal Hussain, 16, Hussain Ali, 12, Eman Ali, 9, and Joynal Abedin.

The infant’s body was recovered on Monday morning. The source said locals identified the infant as Bahula Khatun’s child.

River police superintendent of police Kamal Kumar Gupta said rescue operations are on and steps are being taken to prevent such accidents.

Inland Water Transport Assam director Pabitra Ram Khound said the IWT is looking into the matter and various measures to prevent such mishaps are being taken. “A major step that will be taken is that all country boats will have to be upgraded to marine engines, failing which they will not get permission to ply. A notification regarding this is being prepared,” he said.

In August last year, five persons had drowned after three mechanised country boats capsized during a storm at Beki in Barpeta.

Eleven people were returning to Kalampur sar from Kalampur Gaon in three boats after Id celebrations when they ran into the storm around 4pm. Six persons managed to swim ashore while five went missing.