A boy aged about 14 died and another boy of the same age went missing while taking a bath in the Koel River near Pradhanpali in Sundargarh’s Rourkela on Saturday.
The deceased and the missing children were identified as the residents of the Labour Tournament Colony in Rourkela City.
According to sources, four friends studying in a private school went to Koel River near Pradhanpali after school. While enjoying their bath, they were swept away by the strong current of the river. However, two of them managed to come out of the water and went to their respective houses and narrated everything before their family members.
Also Read: 1,771 drowning deaths in Odisha in last 3 years: Govt
On being informed, the Fire Department personnel reached the spot and launched a rescue operation. Moments later, they fished out the body of one student. At the time of filing this report, the second student was still missing.
A pall of gloom descended on Labour Tournament Colony following the tragic incident.