Rayagada: In yet another tragic incident, a 70-year-old man went missing after being swept away in the Nagavali River on Friday evening. The missing person has been identified as Pentaya Jilakara, a resident of Maligaon village under Rayagada block.
According to sources, Pentaya had gone to graze his cattle near the riverbank. When the cattle entered the water, he reportedly ventured in to retrieve them but was caught in the strong current and swept away.
Alert villagers immediately informed the Fire department, which launched a search operation last evening. On Saturday, rescue teams, assisted by local residents, continued the search for Pentaya, but he remains untraceable.
This marks the third such incident in the past ten days in Rayagada district. Just two days ago, a youth from Gurumaguda village under Rayagada Sadar block also went missing after being swept away by the Nagavali River. Earlier, on October 2, following heavy rainfall, rising water levels in the river led to another drowning incident — Simadri Miniaka from Kotapeta village lost his life after being washed away.
The recent series of accidents has sparked concern among locals, who have urged authorities to issue safety advisories and restrict riverbank activities during high water flow.
