Balasore: In a shocking incident, an 11-year-old boy drowned in a pond while his younger cousin brother is critically ill during the immersion of Lord Ganesh idol at Kuligan village under Khantapada police station in Balasore district on Sunday.
The tragic event took place during the immersion ceremony of Lord Ganesh’s idol in a pond, where several children were participating. Two brothers, Pratyush Ranjan Rout (11) and Satyajit Rout (8), slipped into the deep water and drowned.
Locals rescued the boys and rushed them to the Community Health Centre (CHC) at Khandapada, where Pratyush was declared dead. Satyajit is undergoing treatment, and his condition remains critical.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the region.