Binjharpur: Two boys were swept away in the strong currents of river Kharasrota while taking a bath with two other friends near Bankipal village under this block in Jajpur district Thursday.
The two students were Somanath Barik (15) and Smruti Ranjan Swain. An ODRAF team engaged in rescue operation was learnt to have fished out the body of Smruti Ranjan by evening while there was no trace of Somanath.
The incident comes a day after a boy was swept away in Kharasrota while trying to rescue his minor sister.
Three students of Baruneshwar High School at Arei under Binjharpur police limits and another from the Jajpur Zilla School in Jajpur Town visited a friend’s house at Bankipal to attend a feast.
The river was in spate but the four friends Somanath (15), Smruti Ranjan (15), Manoj Barik (14) and Paresh Rout (14) went to take bath, notwithstanding the flood situation.
All the four were swept away in strong currents while bathing. Meanwhile, three villagers Rabi Behera, Mahendra Behera and Chintamani Behera who were on the riverbank jumped into the river to save the students.
However, they could manage to save Paresh and Manoj but failed in their bid to rescue Somanath and Smruti Ranjan. The fire personnel were informed but they did not come to the spot due to their agitation. The ODRAF team reached the spot late and joined the rescue operation.
PNN