MALKANGIRI/BERHAMPUR: Two minor girls reportedly died after drowning in Balimela reservoir in Malkangiri’s Korukonda block on Friday.Eight-year-old Sabitri Muduli and Dhobli Kadingiya (7) of Kenduguda village under Nakamamudi panchayat were missing since Thursday afternoon.
Sources said four girls had gone to take bath in Balimela reservoir which is situated near their village. All of them entered the water but Sabitri and Dhobli slipped. The duo was pulled into deep water by the strong currents. The other two girls rushed back to the village and informed their parents about the incident. Subsequently, villagers launched a search in the reservoir and after a night-long operation, found the girls’ bodies during the wee hours on the day. Chitrakonda IIC Mukund Melka said an unnatural death case was registered and after postmortem, the bodies were handed over to the bereaved families.
Similarly in Ganjam, a seven-year-old girl of Diliba village within Belaguntha police limits was found dead in a pond on Friday. The minor had gone missing during the 11th day death rituals of her grandmother.
Sources said as family members were busy in the rituals, they did not notice her absence. After the rituals ended, they could not find the girl. Unable to trace her, family members lodged a complaint with the local police. On Friday morning, some villagers found the girl’s body floating in the local pond. On being informed, police reached the village, retrieved the body and sent it to the local hospital for autopsy.