Puri: Two tourists from Rajasthan drowned after being caught in a strong rip current while bathing in the sea at Puri beach on Monday, police said.
The deceased have been identified as 23-year-old Chutra Ram and 22-year-old Padma Ram, both reportedly residents of Barmer district in Rajasthan.
According to reports, the incident occurred when four friends from Barmer were bathing in the sea near Sector 4, in front of a hotel. They were suddenly caught in a strong current and swept into deeper waters.
Lifeguards rushed to the spot after noticing the tourists struggling in the water and managed to rescue three of them. Padma Ram, however, went missing, triggering a search operation. His body was subsequently recovered.
Meanwhile, Chutra Ram, who was among those rescued, was in a critical condition. He was rushed to the Puri District Headquarters Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
