Hatadihi: Three minor girls drowned after falling in an abandoned morrum quarry at Aturikana village of Padhiaripalli panchayat under this block in Keonjhar district, Tuesday. The deceased were identified as Bharati Patra, 4, daughter of Dinabandhu Patra, Payal Patra, 3, daughter of Gouranga Patra and Lipsa Patra, 3, daughter of Kodanda Patra – all are residents of Aturikana village.
According to sources, the trio had gone to ‘Ama Kalika’ centre in the village but after some time, they wandered off towards the nearby abandoned morrum quarry on private land. Unfortunately, the trio accidentally fell into the quarry filled with rainwater and drowned. The owner of the land after extracting morrum left the place abandoned which became a pond following the recent rains. Locals fished out the bodies of the three children and informed Soso police who reached the spot, seized the bodies and sent them for post-mortem. Hatadihi tehsildar Habil Xaxa and Childline members reached the spot and took stock of the situation. Three cases (17, 18, 19/2024) of unnatural deaths were registered at Soso police station in this regard. Investigating officer Narasingha Tanti said a probe is in progress to ascertain the circumstances leading to the incident and assured strict action against the guilty