Koraput: Three Plus III second-year students of Koraput Government College in this district drowned in Kolab reservoir Saturday.
The deceased boys along with four others had gone to the reservoir to celebrate birthday of one of their friends.
The departed students have been identified as Manmath Samal, Ramakanta Patnaik and Sandeep Pujari. While Samal hails from Koraput district, the other two are from Malkangiri district.
According to a source, seven students of the college reportedly started for Kolab reservoir at about 11am to celebrate the birthday party of one of their friends there.
One of the boys fell into water while clicking a selfie and in their attempt to rescue him, two others also slipped into deep water. Seeing them drowning, other students raised an alarm. Hearing their cries, some local people present nearby informed the fire services department.
After reaching the spot the fire brigade personnel rescued the three and rushed them to Saheed Laxman Nayak Medical College and Hospital where the doctors declared them dead on arrival.
Police have sent the bodies for autopsy and investigating the matter, it was learnt.