Picnic turns tragic, teacher dies saving drowning students in Nayagarh

A teacher met with a watery grave in river Mahanadi while trying to save two of his students from drowning near ‘Smashana Tutha’ at Kantilo under Khandapara block in Nayagarh district on Wednesday.

The teacher has been identified as Saroj Kumar Das (32). He hailed from Sankhapada village under Mahakalapada block in Kendrapara district.

As per reports, Saroj was a teacher at a private coaching centre. He along with his colleagues and students had gone to Nilamadhav in Kantilo on Tuesday night. When some of them were bating in the Mahanadi on Wednesday morning, two of the students went into deep water.

In a bid to save the students from drowning, Saroj also plunged into deep water. However, he himself drowned in deep water and went missing.

Later, local people rescued him and he was rushed to the nearby medical in critical condition. However, doctors declared him brought dead. 

The accident has left the people in the area in deep shock.

Upon being informed, Mahakalapada police reached the spot and started a preliminary investigation into the incident.

The family members of the deceased have been informed about the incident.

“It’s quite unfortunate incident. We lost our colleague in the mishap. It’s a great loss for us. All the staff and students are in shock,” said a staffer of the coaching centre.