Student drowns in Kuakhai

BHUBANESWAR: In a tragic incident, a Class IX student drowned in the Kuakhai river here after he was swept away in the current while bathing with a group of friends on Sunday morning. Another student had a close shave as he was rescued by the locals and fishermen. A group of four boys, all from BM School of the Old Town, was bathing at a ghat near Bankual when the incident occurred at about 8.30 am. The four, identified as Papu Nayak, Kalu Prasad Dora, Sagar Hansdah and Keshav Majhi, belong to Sisupalgarh area. Sagar and Keshav had through with their bath and were waiting for Papu and Kalu at the ghat. Locals said Papu slipped into a deep pocket and was sucked into the river. Kalu tried to rescue him but in vain as he was caught in the current too. However, Kalu could manage to hold on to a few pillars of a bridge when locals and fishermen came to his rescue. However, Papu was not that fortunate. Fire Officer BB Das said the Fire Station received information at about 9.15 am and his teams soon reached the river. “By that time, Kalu had been rescued by the locals and we searched for Papu in a half-a-km stretch of the river. Later, the body was fished out,” he said. Police said the four had come to the river for a bath but had told their families that they were going out for shopping. A pall of gloom descended on Sisupalgarh area following the incident. A case has been lodged with Sahid Nagar Police station in this connection.