JAJPUR: At least two persons drowned while bathing in a waterfall at Pahadkhol near Koil village under Sukinda police limits in Jajpur district on Saturday. While the body of one victim has been recovered, search efforts are underway for the other.
The deceased has been identified as Shambhu Pradhan (22) of Kanjiapal village under Lembo panchayat. The missing youth Manas Mahanta (22), a B Tech graduate from Bandhagaon-Koil village, was working in Bengaluru.
According to reports, Shambhu, Manas and their minor friend, Buturu Mahanta (17), went to bathe in the seasonal waterfall at around 10 am. Shambhu and Manas jumped into the water, while Buturu stayed on the bank. When the duo failed to return, Buturu immediately informed family members and villagers.
On being alerted, a team from the Sukinda Fire Service rushed to the spot and recovered Shambhu’s body after an intense search. The operation was hampered as the rescue team’s iron hook device got stuck in a deep pit beneath the waterfall. Later, a fire service team from Bhuban in neighbouring Dhenkanal district joined the efforts. The operation has been suspended and will resume on Sunday morning.
The Pahadkhol waterfall, located in the Mahagiri hill range under Sukinda forest division, plunges nearly 300 feet into a treacherous pit and has been identified as hazardous.
“Many youngsters, often inspired by social media reels, have been flocking to this dangerous spot to shoot videos in the past few years,” said local resident Basudev Pradhan.