Five people went missing after a boat capsized in the Rupnarayan river in West Bengal's Howrah district, police said.

A group of 19 people from Howrah district's Belgachia, Shibpur and Bagnan went to Tribeni Park in Paschim Medinipur district's Daspur for a picnic. The boat capsized in the middle of the river when they were returning home on Thursday night.

On hearing the screams, other boats rushed to the spot and rescued as many people as possible, police said.

But, five people could not be located, they said, adding that a search was underway.

Howrah's District Magistrate Dipapriya P said that after receiving information about the accident, two disaster management teams and civil defence personnel were brought in for the rescue work.

Superintendent of Police Swati Bhangalia said the rescue work was underway.

Some of those rescued were sent to nearby healthcare centres, officials said.

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