Bhubaneswar: In a tragic incident, two students have reportedly gone missing after being swept away by the strong currents of the Mahanadi River near Dhobapada Ghat under Khetrajpur police station limits in Sambalpur.
According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred around 4 pm when the two students, identified as Esk Kanit and Himanshu Singh, both residents of Tiwari Gali and Class IX students, were seen being swept away by the river.
Locals initially mistook them for fishermen but soon alerted the police, who promptly informed the Fire brigade personnel. A six-member team from the Fire Department rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation.
Till the last report came in, the rescue efforts were underway. The operation was hindered due to the fading light.
It is pertinent to mention that this is not the first instance of such an incident in the Mahanadi River, which has claimed several lives in the past due to reckless entry into the river.
However, the exact circumstances surrounding the incident will be known once the rescue operation is completed or the families of the missing students file complaints in this regard.
