Cuttack: A young woman went missing on Thursday after she allegedly jumped into the Mahanadi River near the Jobra Barrage in Cuttack City, sparking a large-scale rescue operation.
According to preliminary reports, the woman abandoned her scooter on the bridge before leaping into the river, raising immediate alarm among locals and commuters who witnessed the incident.
Soon after receiving information, Fire Services personnel launched an intensive search and rescue operation in the river. Teams equipped with boats and diving gear combed the waters downstream from the barrage in a bid to trace the woman.
Authorities have identified the woman as a resident of the Jagatpur area of Cuttack. Local police, along with the Fire Services Department, are coordinating efforts to locate her and have appealed to the public for any information that might aid in the search.
By late evening, the rescue operation continued under challenging conditions, but the woman remained untraced till nightfall. Officials have refrained from making any formal statement regarding the incident as the search efforts are still underway.
The circumstances leading to the suspected jump are yet to be ascertained, and police said an investigation will be initiated once further details emerge.
