BHUBANESWAR : In a tragic incident, a physiotherapy student went missing while attempting to save his friend from drowning in a water-filled stone quarry at Tapang area of Khurda district on Monday afternoon.
The incident happened when a group of four students from a Pahala-based educational institute was reportedly shooting reels (videos for social media) at the quarry. The depth of the quarry, , declared unsafe, varies from 10 ft to over 100 ft at some points.
A team of Odisha Fire and Emergency Service rushed to the spot with advanced water proof camera to trace the youth. Search operation which started around 1.30 pm continued till 8 pm. The fire fighters, with assistance from Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), scanned the quarry using scuba sets and mobile light towers.
Student jumps to friend’s rescue, missing in quarry
However, the youth could not be traced. The operation will resume on Tuesday morning.
Sources said the mishap occurred when the youths, including a girl, were recording videos at the stone quarry. One of the youths fell into the quarry and his friend immediately jumped to his rescue. Though the youth who had slipped could be rescued, his friend went missing.
“The youth who went into water to rescue his friend does not know swimming. He was not aware about the depth of the quarry,” said police sources.
The quarry, located within Khurda Sadar police limits, is closed since last eight years but despite the local administration’s warning, people keep visiting it for sightseeing, said the sources. Meanwhile, the police said they are looking into the matter and will take action accordingly.