Drowning incidents mar Holi celebrations

Berhampur/Cuttack: Holi celebration was on Friday marred by drowning of at least two persons while taking bath in separate water bodies in Odisha.

In Ganjam district, one person got drowned in Gopalpur sea at the Haripur Ghat while two others went missing in the sea following Holi celebrations in the city. The deceased was identified as P Sidhant Patro of Sano Bazar area in Berhampur.

As per sources, 19 persons from the area had gone to take bath in the sea after the celebrations. While the body of Patro was fished out, two others from the group are still missing, sources added.

"Around 19-20 friends had gone to Gopalpur after playing Holi. Four of them went into the sea while others were still standing at the beach. Of the four, one was pushed by the tides while Sidhant was rescued almost after an hour. Two others are still missing," Sidhant's father Bishnu Patro said.

In a similar incident, one Raja Swain of Kushapangi village died after he drowned in Mahanadi River at the Banki Kaliprasad Ghat. Raja had gone to take bath in the river after celebrating Holi and reportedly drowned at the Ghat.