CUTTACK: A 26-year-old youth who jumped into Mahanadi river during enforcement carried out by Jagatpur police against illegal sand lifting from the river bed near Baragodia on Friday night has gone missing in the waters.
The youth has been identified as Sk Talim of Islampur village near Purbakachha.
Talim and his three associates were allegedly lifting sand from an illegal Balighat on the river bed while a police team reached the spot. Seeing the police vehicle, all four youths left behind the tractor loaded with sand and jumped into the river. While three of them managed to swim to the other side, Talim went missing in the river, said a senior police officer.
“When we reached the banks, the youths saw us and in their bid to escape, jumped into the river. We informed fire services personnel who immediately rushed to the spot and launched a search operation,” said the officer.
Though the search operation is on by both Salepur and Chauliaganj fire stations, the youth is yet to be traced, said a fire official.