Cuttack: Two minor boys of a local orphanage here drowned while bathing in a canal near Jagatpur barrage on the outskirts of the city today.
They have been identified as Satyajit Sahu (10) and Suman Sarangi (8).
"At least seven inmates of the orphanage had gone to the canal around 10 AM for bathing accompanied by their caretaker Trilochan Behera. But, two inmates slipped and got drowned,:" said police inspector Anil Kumar Beuria adding the caretaker tried to save the children, but failed as he was physically challenged.
Beuria said teams from the fire brigade and Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (Odraf) fished out the bodies of the two inmates of 'The Blessing Children' from the Kendrapara canal that originates from Mahanadi River.
District Collector N C Mishra has ordered an administrative inquiry into the mishap.
A 17-year-old student from Chhattisgarh of Sri Sri University had drowned in Kathajodi River here earlier this week.