Kendrapara: Two friends who went to bathe in the river Birupa drowned Thursday at around 10 am near the Chhoti Ghat.
The body of one of the youths was retrieved from the river while the other’s body has not been found, IIC Kabuli Barik of Nikirai police station said.
Police said Akash Kumar Das, 18, son of Prakash Das, of Chhoti village went to bathe with his friend Dibyajyoti Pradhan, 16, at the Chhoti Ghat. They kept their footwear and clothes on the banks and entered the river and were swept away by the current.
Locals started a search, but failed to find the bodies of the teens. They informed the fire services personnel and the district emergency department.
Fire services personnel from Kendrapara and Derabish started a search. The Third NDRF Battalion of Munduli also joined the search.
NDRF personnel found the body of Akash Kumar Das, but Dibyajyoti Pradhan’s body has not been found. The search operation was on when this report was filed.
Nikirai police seized the body of Akash who was a Plus Two student. Dibyajyoti had appeared for matriculation examination recently, IIC Kabuli Barik said.
PNN