Eight, Including Four Minors, Drown in Tragic Incidents Across Odisha

Bhubaneswar: In a series of heartbreaking incidents across Odisha on Sunday, eight people, including four minors, lost their lives to drowning.

In Bhubaneswar, two young men drowned in the Bhargabi river near Saiphan in Balakati on the outskirts of the city. The victims, identified as Ashish Behera and Pranabandhu Mahalika, were employees of a private company in Bhubaneswar. The tragedy unfolded when one of them was swept away by strong currents while bathing, and his friend drowned while attempting a rescue.

In Cuttack, a 13-year-old boy, Suryakant Majhi of Khannagar area, drowned while bathing in the Kathajodi river with friends. Despite efforts by locals, he could not be saved and was declared dead at the hospital.

In another incident in Nayagarh district, three minor boys drowned in a pond at Godibida village under Dasapalla police limits. The deceased were identified as 11-year-old Umakanta Nayak of Godibida, 11-year-old Ritesh Pradhan of Khalamada, and nine-year-old Shubha Khilar of Nuagaon. According to family members, Ritesh and Shubha had come to Godibida to attend a marriage function. The three boys went for a bath but did not return. After an anxious search, their bodies were recovered from the pond and they were declared dead at Daspalla Community Health Centre.

Meanwhile, in Keonjhar district, two youths from Kendrapara district drowned in the Musala river near Garagaradabhala village. Both were employed at Tata Steel’s Duburi plant. The incident occurred when the duo, along with two friends, were climbing a hill to reach a tourist spot. One of them slipped and, in trying to save himself, pulled the other into the river. Fire Service personnel later recovered both bodies during a rescue operation.

Authorities have urged the public to exercise caution near water bodies, especially during the summer months when such incidents tend to rise.