Puri Canal Tragedy: Rs 1 Lakh ex Gratia for Kin

BHUBANESWAR : Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday announced an ex-gratia of `1 lakh each for families of four school boys who drowned in Puri canal near Barang on Tuesday.

All the four bodies were recovered by Fire Service personnel and ODRAF divers after a night-long search operation even as School and Mass Education Minister Debi Prasad Mishra had ordered an administrative enquiry into the incident.

The inquiry committee on Wednesday completed its probe and submitted the report in which it said the school teachers could have taken the parents and guardians of the students into confidence about their wards’ actvities instead of banishing them.

The School and Mass Education Department said action will be initiated after the report is examined.

Around 14 Class IX students of Government High School, Chandrasekharpur had bunked school and gone to the canal for taking bath. The adventure took a tragic turn when one of the boys slipped and was swept away by strong current. Four of his companions jumped to his rescue but were also dragged in.

While one managed to  swim to safety, the rest met a watery grave. The deceased were identified as Abhijeet Sabat, Bunty Digal, Pratap Chandra Routray and Manas Nayak.

Earlier in the day, Khurda Sub Collector and District Education Officer went to the school and met teachers besides holding discussions with the parents of the students.

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