CUTTACK: In a tragic incident, three youths drowned in Pattamundai canal near Belamalia Mahaveer Temple within Jagatpur police limits on Wednesday night.The deceased are Trilochan Mahala (22), Nilu Sahu (21) of Chauliaganj Tala Sahi and their cousin Badal Sahu (22) of Mahajan Sahi in Choudwar. Police said Trilochan and Nilu had gone to Badal’s place to witness the Choudwar Rupa Yatra (immersion of goddess Laxmi’s idols) in a temporary pond set up on the banks of Birupa river.
During the procession, the three youths along with two others from Choudwar went to a spot near Belamalia Mahaveer temple, around three km from the place where the immersion was being carried out. As per eyewitnesses, Trilochan, Nilu and Badal slipped and fell into the canal one after the other. Though one of the two other youths dived into the canal to save them, it was too late. The bodies, retrieved from the canal, have been handed over to their families after postmortem, said Jagatpur police.