BERHAMPUR: A 26-year-old youth from Ganjam died while another sustained critical injuries after their motorcycle plunged into Mahendratanaya river near Jirang under Rayagada block in Gajapati district on Wednesday.
The deceased was identified as Rajkumar Apat (26) of Mangalpur village under Belaguntha block in Ganjam district. The pillion rider, Ganesh Nayak, suffered grievous injuries in the mishap.
According to reports, four friends from Ganjam had travelled to Gajapati on two motorcycles to visit various tourist destinations. After visiting Chandragiri, they spent the night at a friend’s house and set out for Mahendragiri in the morning. At around 9 am, one of the motorcycles reportedly lost control near a bridge close to Jirang and fell into Mahendratanaya river.
Both the occupants, Apat and Nayak, were thrown into the water. While Apat was killed, Nayak was rescued and rushed to the hospital for treatment. Garabandha police has launched an investigation into the accident.
