Bhubaneswar: Two youths went missing after allegedly drowning in the swollen Kuakhai river in the Balianta area on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar on Friday, prompting a massive search operation by the police and Fire Services personnel.
According to preliminary information, four friends had gone to the river after having a meal near the Sai Temple at Satyabhamapur under the jurisdiction of Balianta police station. While bathing in the river, two of them reportedly ventured into a deeper stretch and were swept away by the strong current.
The other two friends made attempts to rescue them but failed as the river was in spate.
The missing youths have been identified as Divyajyoti Swain, a resident of the Laxmisagar area of Bhubaneswar, and Rudra Narayan Swain of the Dhauli area. Both are around 20 years old.
On being informed, Balianta police and Fire Services teams rushed to the spot and launched an intensive search operation to trace the missing youths. The rescue efforts were continuing till the filing of this report.
The incident has cast a pall of gloom over the locality as anxious family members and residents gathered at the riverbank awaiting updates from the search teams.
