Bhubaneswar: Holi celebrations claimed 17 lives across Odisha when the festival of colours was observed with much fanfare across the state, Friday and Saturday.
This incidentally was the first time since 2020, that restrictions were relaxed during Holi as Covid-19 cases have been on the decline.
The toll in the Kharasrota river tragedy in Jajpur district went up to six with another body being fished out Sunday. The deceased was identified as Biswajit Jena.
He was one among the seven who was swept away while taking a bath March 18. Meanwhile officials said that 11 more deaths were reported Saturday from various parts of Odisha.
Sambalpur, Keonjhar and Koraput districts reported two deaths each while Cuttack district reported one fatality.
Shatrughna Behera drowned while taking bath in a pond at Haridagotha village under Keonjhar Town Police limits. He could have been saved had he reached the hospital on time.
However, the auto-rickshaw carrying him ran out of fuel. By the time Behera reached the Keonjhar district headquarters hospital in a bike, he had already breathed his last.
The identity of the other deceased is yet to be ascertained.
The two who died in Koraput district were identified as Anukush Nayak and Jagannath Mohapatra, while the two who perished in the Mahanadi at Kuchinda of Sambalpur district were labourers from Balarampur district in Uttar Pradesh.
Meanwhile, Abhijit Barik of Biribati area of Cuttack district was swept away by strong tides when he was taking a bath along with three friends in the Mahanadi at Nua Koruan ghat.
His friends tried their best to save Abhijit, but failed to do so. His body was fished out Sunday. Officials also informed that one death has been reported from Berhampur and another from Bhanjnagar in Ganjam district.
The person who died Berhampur has been identified as Pappu Singh (35). A native of Jharkhand, he had come to visit his brother-in-lawat Lanjinagar village.
While taking a bath he slipped into the deeper part of the village pond and could not come out. By the time his body was fished out, he had already breathed his last.
Identity of the deceased at Bhanjanagar is yet to be ascertained. One death each was by drowning was reported from Sundargarh, Nayagarh and Mayurbhanj districts.
Sources said that reckless celebrations led to the death of a number of people.
PNN
