Rourkela: One youth died and two others went missing Sunday in the Koel river at Jhirpani here in Sundargarh district. They were washed away by strong currents when they were having a bath. The identities of the deceased and the missing duo are yet to be ascertained.
Sources said, some youths had gone to Jhirpani on a picnic. Three of them had gone to the Koel river, which is near the picnic spot, for bathing at about 3.00pm.
They were enjoying their bath when one of them accidentally ventured deeper into the river and was trapped in a whirlpool. Seeing him being washed away, the two others tried to rescue their friend. In the process, they also got washed away by the strong currents.
On being informed, fire personnel reached the spot and started a search operation. They could fish out one body. However, bodies of two others who have gone missing are yet to be traced.
At the time of filing this report, the search operation was still going on.
More details are awaited.
PNN