TV
A fateful ritual turned into tragedy in Balasore district on Friday when two sisters from Chakahari village drowned in the Subarnarekha River while collecting water for temple offerings as part of the Kanwar Yatra.
According to reports, the incident occurred at the Shikharpur ghat under Jaleswar block, where the victims, aged 12 and 14, had gone to fetch water before prayers at the village shrine, but met with tragedy.
According to local residents, the sisters were standing near the riverbank, filling their vessels when they lost balance and were swept away by the current. Despite immediate efforts by nearby villagers to rescue them, both were carried downstream.
The police and fire services launched a search operation soon after being alerted, but the sisters could not be saved.
Locals said the river’s water level and flow have been unusually strong due to recent rains, making the ghat area dangerous for anyone entering the water. They also added that authorities had urged locals to remain cautious during the monsoon season.
Recent Spree Of Tragedies In Balasore
In a separate incident in the same district, the body of fisherman Gopal Giri from Kankadapal village under Baliapal police limits was recovered on Friday morning. Giri had reportedly been missing since August 2 after venturing out to fish at the Kankadapal river mouth along with three others.
Meanwhile, two fishermen, Madhusudan Giri and Jagannath Pal, were rescued in critical condition earlier, while the body of another, Rabindra Giri, had already been recovered. The search was conducted jointly by the Marine Police and Fire Services, who cited challenging conditions due to rough tides.
The deaths add to a worrying pattern of water-related tragedies in Odisha in recent weeks. Earlier this monsoon, a seaside outing turned fatal at Tajpur Beach, along the West Bengal-Odisha border, when three tourists were swept away by strong waves. One youth died, another remained missing, and a third was rescued.
Notably, all of these cases were attributed to strong currents owing to water surges after heavy rainfall since June.
