Baripada: In a heart-rending incident, two sisters and their cousin, all minors, drowned right in front of their mother’s eyes while bathing in a pond at Tadisahi of Badabila village under Sadar police limits in Mayurbhanj district Tuesday.
The deceased have been identified as Parbati Murmu and Kani Murmu, daughters of Pala Murmu and their cousin Rajashree Murmu, daughter of Gaya Murmu. The three deceased girls were in the age group of 8-12 years.
As per sources, the three sisters along with their mother Malati Murmu had gone to a nearby pond to bathe before going to school. The three girls got down into the water and were bathing while their mother was busy washing clothes. While bathing, the Kani and Rajashree were sucked into the deep water.
Seeing the girls getting pulled in the tides, Parbati also got entered the pond and tried to save them, but in vain. All the three were swept away in the water right before Malati’s mother.
She later shouted for help following which the villagers alerted the fire tender team. However, due to delay in the arrival of the fire team, youths of the village jumped into the pond and rescued the girls. They were then rushed to PRM Medical College and Hospital where doctors declared them brought dead.
The girls’ mother could be seen cursing herself for not being able to save her little daughters. A pall of gloom has descended in the area following the mishap.
A case of unnatural death has been registered, Inspector in-Charge of Baripada Sadar police station, Swarnalata Minz said. The bodies were handed over to family members after autopsy.
A day back, as many as five persons including two sisters of Anandapur block in Keonjhar district and a man and his grandson of Sinapali block in Nuapada district drowned while bathing.