Bonai: In a tragic turn of events, a 59-year-old man, who had come to celebrate three decades of marriage at Khandadhar Waterfalls, returned home in a coffin after he suddenly collapsed following a night of anniversary celebration.
The deceased was identified as Rajesh Gupta of Rajgangpur in Sundargarh district. He had booked four cottages at the Khandadhar Eco Cottage for the wedding anniversary celebration with family members and friends.
According to sources, the family happily celebrated the occasion with music and festivities Friday night. Gupta reportedly went out for a walk Saturday morning when he suddenly collapsed on the lawn of the cottage premises. Family members and forest staff rushed him to the Bonai sub-divisional hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
The exact cause of death is yet to be ascertained. Police from Lahunipada have initiated an investigation and registered an unnatural death case (5/2026). The body was kept at the hospital mortuary for post-mortem examination and later handed over to the family. The incident has sparked widespread discussion in Bonai and Rajgangpur.