BARIPADA: Two minor girls reportedly died after drowning in a pond at Pratapur village under Badasahi police station on Tuesday. The deceased were identified as 15-year-old Surekha Naik, daughter of Santosh Naik and 17-year-old Tapaswini Naik, daughter of Rajkapur Naik. Both were neighbours.
The mishap occurred when the duo went to the pond to take a bath where their legs accidently slipped into the deep water. Locals reached the spot to rescue the girls and recovered them in critical condition. Parents of the girls rushed them to PRM Medical College and Hospital where doctors declared them brought dead.
Badasahi police reached the hospital, seized the bodies and sent them for postmortem. They suspect that the death might have caused due to the minor girls lacking swimming skills. A case of unnatural death was registered and further investigation in underway. The bodies were handed over to the parents of the deceased minor girls after the postmortem.