SAMBALPUR/MALKANGIRI: A picnic outing turned tragic for a teenage student who reportedly went missing in the power channel under Burla police limits in Sambalpur on Sunday.
The missing youth was identified as 17-year-old Swastik Padhi, a Plus Two student of a private college in Bhubaneswar. A native of Sambalpur, Swastik had returned home during the holidays.
Sources said Swastik visited the Athara Hajar power channel along with a group of friends for a picnic. During the outing, he allegedly entered the power channel for a bath and was swept away by the strong current after losing his footing.
On being informed, teams from the Fire Services department and Burla police rushed to the spot and launched a search operation. However, rescue efforts were hampered by the strong flow of water in the channel.
Despite efforts, the student was yet to be traced till reports last came in. Search operations will resume on Monday. In Malkangiri, a 23-year-old youth reportedly drowned while bathing at Sorlukonda barrage under Potteru Irrigation Project near Balimela on Sunday. The deceased is Anup Dhar of MV-36 under Somnathpur panchayat.
Sources said Anup along with his family members and some villagers had gone to the barrage to take bath in the afternoon. When they were bathing, a strong current reportedly swept through the barrage area. Anup got trapped in a deep portion between rocks and drowned in front of his family members.
Receiving information, Orkel police and fire services personnel rushed to the spot. After a prolonged search, Anup’s body was recovered from the water. The body was seized for postmortem.