CUTTACK: In a tragic incident, an 18-year-old boy drowned while two of his friends went missing when they were bathing in Mahanadi river near Jobra barrage here on Sunday.
The deceased has been identified as Sk Sahil Khan (18), a plus-two student of Raghunath Jew College here. The other two missing are Md Siddique Majid (17), also a plus two commerce student of Christ College, and Ayur Khan (20), a welder by profession. All belong to Jobra Chargharia within Malgodown police limits.
The incident took place around 1.30 pm when they were taking bath along with four other friends. Eyewitness say, the trio slipped into deep water and were swept away by the current. Some locals jumped into the river and managed to rescue Sahil in a critical condition who was then rushed to SCB Medical College and Hospital where doctors declared him dead.
Immediately after the mishap, a team of Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and a fire services team launched search operations to rescue the missing two youths. Until last reports came in Siddique and Ayur are still missing, with the search operation still underway.