Missing Youth’s Body Recovered from Mahanadi River After Eight-Day Search Near Naraj Barrage

Cuttack: An eight-day-long search operation ended in tragedy on Sunday after the body of a youth, who had gone missing in the Mahanadi River earlier this month, was recovered near the Naraj Barrage in Cuttack.

The deceased was identified as Akash Behera, a resident of Machhua Bazar in Cuttack.

According to officials, the body was spotted floating near Gate No. 22 of the Naraj Barrage at around 11:45 am. A team from the Baranga Fire Service reached the location, retrieved the body from the river and later handed it over to the police for further legal procedures.

The incident dates back to July 5, when Akash and two of his friends had visited the Mahanadi River near the barrage for an outing. While bathing in the river and reportedly taking selfies, the three youths were caught in the strong current and swept away.

Alert local residents immediately rushed to their aid and managed to rescue two of the youths. However, Akash disappeared in the turbulent waters before rescuers could reach him.

Fire Service personnel, along with other rescue agencies, launched an extensive search operation on the day of the incident. The search was temporarily suspended after sunset due to poor visibility but resumed the following morning. Despite continuous efforts over the past week, the operation yielded no success until Sunday, when the body was finally located.

The police have sent the body for post-mortem examination to ascertain the exact cause of death. A case has been registered, and further investigation into the incident is underway.

The tragic incident has once again highlighted the dangers of venturing into deep waters and ignoring safety precautions near river barrages, especially during periods of strong currents.