A girl student reportedly went missing after being swept away in Burla power channel in Sambalpur district on Tuesday.
According to sources, the victim, who hails from Jharsuguda, pursues BBA at an educational institute in Rourkela.
She had reportedly gone to the Burla power channel along with her male friend at around 5 pm yesterday.
The male friend of the missing girl is a Plus 3 student hailing from Sambalpur.
Sources said water was discharged suddenly at a very high pressure, when the duo was sitting under the siphon of the power channel. The girl lost her balance and fell into Mahandi river and was swept away, sources informed, adding that, the boy also jumped into the river to rescue the girl, but in vain.
Till the last report came in, a search operation was underway by the Fire Services personnel to trace the missing girl.
“We were informed about the incident at around 6.30 pm yesterday. After a frantic search till 10.30 pm yesterday, we could not trace out the missing girl. Now, a 10-member rescue team has resumed the search operation,” said Lokeswar Pater, a Fire Services personnel from Burla.
Meanwhile, the police have detained the missing girl’s male friend to ascertain under what circumstance the girl went missing.
No comments from police could be obtained regarding the investigation process.
It is worth mentioning here that a girl student of Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology (VSSUT), Burla in Sambalpur district had died after reportedly jumping off Power Channel Bridge in March this year.
The student, Chinmayi Priyadarshini Sahoo, who hailed from Rampur Madanpur area in Kalahandi district was last seen with her male friend.