Post News Network
Cuttack, April 25: Two college students drowned in the Mahanadi while collecting water for the ‘Jalabhishek’ of Shanidev at Ramachandrapur ghat under Kishore Nagar police limits on the outskirts of the city here Saturday.
Another student was rescued by locals.
The incident comes less than a month after four Ravenshaw students drowned at Jobra barrage.
The deceased have been identified as Abhishek Bastia (17) of Tinigharia area under Madhupatna police limits and Soumyaranjan Sahu (17) of Shagadia Sahi near Ranihaat under Mangalabagh police limits in the city. The two were Plus-II students at Cuttack City College.
A large number of people thronged the Shanidev shrine at Ramchandrapur in the morning to perform the Jalabhishek, according to sources. Abhishek and Soumyaranjan, along with their friends Bishwabijay Das and Miku, went to the Mahanadi to collect water for the ritual. However, Abhishek and Soumyaranjan drowned. Bishwabijay tried to save his friends but in vain. Locals gathered at the spot and rescued Bishwabijay with the help of a country boat after Miku, who was on the embankment, raised an alarm.
Fire brigade personnel from Raghunathpur, Salipur and Kuanpala, as well as ODRAF personnel from Salipur rushed to the spot and launched a search operation. Collector Nirmala Chandra Mishra, Sadar sub-collector Raghuram R Ayyar, Kishore Nagar tehsildar Anita Patra, Salipur sub-divisional police officer Suryakant Ray and Kishore Nagar police in-charge Pranita Pattnaik reached the spot and co-ordinated the search operation.
The rescue team fished out the bodies of Abhishek and Soumyaranjan in the afternoon. Police sent the bodies to SCB Medical College and Hospital for post-mortem.
Locals, meanwhile, blamed the district administration, local police and fire brigade officials for the mishap. They alleged that several devotees have been thronging Ramchandrapur to perform the Jalabhishek for long, but authorities are yet to take steps for the smooth conduct of the ritual.
Mishra expressed ignorance over the organisation of Jalabhishek at Ramchandrapur. “The organisers of the ritual neither informed the district administration nor received permission. We have ordered the Sadar sub-collector to probe the incident,” Mishra said.
Four students of Ravenshaw University had drowned in the Mahanadi while bathing near Jobra barrage April 1. The district administration had then installed warning signs at several places to prevent such incidents from recurring.