JEYPORE: A 22-year-old YouTuber from Berhampur was swept away in the strong currents of Duduma waterfall under Machkund police limits in Koraput district on Saturday. The missing youth has been identified as Sagar Kundu, a resident of Niladri Nagar in Berhampur.
According to sources, Sagar along with fellow YouTuber Abhijit Behera of Cuttack’s Jobra area, had come to Koraput four days back for video shooting. On Saturday afternoon, the duo visited Duduma waterfall along with a few other youths.
The YouTubers reportedly shot videos at different locations near the waterfall using a drone. Later, Sagar attempted to film a live video by venturing into the middle of the stream after jumping across rocks. Abhijit and the others stood nearby, warning him of the rising water level.
Despite repeated alerts, Sagar reportedly took the warnings lightly and continued standing in the stream. Some of the youths even threw a rope in an attempt to pull him back, but failed. Within minutes, the water level surged suddenly from the dam side, sweeping Sagar away before anyone could rescue him. Fire department personnel rushed to the spot and launched a search operation.
“I asked him to throw away all the equipment and somehow return to the bank. He threw the camera, but stood there for a while. Before he could come back, the water suddenly flooded the area and swept him away. I immediately called the police and fire brigade, but they couldn’t trace him,” Abhijit said.
Machkund IIC Madhusudan Bhoi said that the search operation was suspended at night and will resume on Sunday with ODRAF personnel. “Preliminary investigation suggests that the YouTuber, unfamiliar with the terrain, misjudged the rising water level and was swept away before he could return to safety,” Bhoi added.