Administrative probe begins into students drowning case

Bhubaneswar: A day after four students drowned in a canal on the city outskirt, Mass Education Minister ordered an administrative inquiry into the case following which the Khurdha sub-collector and DEO visited the school and questioned the staff and some guardians as a part of investigation.

Local MLA Priyadarsi Mishra and Minister Devi Mishra also visited the school at Chandrasekharpur in the capital city.

Khurdha Collector has been asked to produce the probe report within 24 hours, Minister Mishra said adding appropriate action will be taken after the inquiry.

Around 14 students had gone to Puri-Baranga main canal near Hanuman Vatika for a bath on Tuesday afternoon while four of them drowned in the deep water. The fire brigade team fished out three bodies by Tuesday evening while another body was traced Wednesday morning.

They have been identified as Pratap Routray, Abhijeet Sabat, Manas Ranjan Nayak and Bablu Diggal.

According to the school headmistress, the students faced the fatal accident had not come to the school on the fateful day. Their attendances were not registered, she said.