Youth Drowns in Aradi Pitha Pond Before Baba Akhandalamani Darshan

Bhadrak: A visit to the revered Aradi Pitha turned tragic on Sunday morning when a young devotee drowned in the sacred Shiva Ganga pond before having darshan of Baba Akhandalamani. The deceased has been identified as Debabrata Mishra, a resident of Dobal Sohada Sasan under Dhamnagar police limits in Bhadrak district.

According to sources, Debabrata, a BCA student and the only son of his parents, had arrived at the shrine early in the morning with three friends on two motorcycles. Before offering prayers at the temple, the group decided to take a ritual bath in the Shiva Ganga pond located within the temple premises.

While bathing, Debabrata and another friend accidentally slipped into deeper waters and began to drown. Onlookers and their friends quickly rushed to their aid and rescued them from the pond, rushing both to Aradi Hospital. However, doctors declared Debabrata dead upon arrival. The other youth is currently undergoing treatment.

The sudden death has cast a pall of gloom over the temple complex, which is usually bustling with devotees. The Aradi outpost police have launched an investigation into the incident.

Temple authorities and local residents have expressed their condolences, while many have called for improved safety measures around the pond to prevent such tragedies in the future.