Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh each to the family members of the two minor students who drowned in the Kuakhai River here Wednesday, officials said.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi Wednesday expressed grief over the death of the students in Kuakhai.
“CM Mohan Charan Majhi has expressed deep sorrow over the tragic drowning of two students during Saraswati idol immersion in Kuakhai River, near Rangabazar, under Balianta block. He extended condolences to the bereaved families. The state government has announced Rs 4 lakh ex-gratia assistance for each family from the State Disaster Response Fund,” said the Chief Minister’s Office on X.
ଭୁବନେଶ୍ୱର ଉପକଣ୍ଠ ବାଲିଅନ୍ତା ବ୍ଲକ ଅନ୍ତର୍ଗତ ରଙ୍ଗବଜାର ନିକଟ କୁଆଖାଇରେ ସରସ୍ୱତୀ ମୂର୍ତ୍ତି ବିସର୍ଜନ ବେଳେ ଦୁଇ ଛାତ୍ରଙ୍କ ପ୍ରାଣହାନି ବିଷୟରେ ଜାଣି ମୁଖ୍ୟମନ୍ତ୍ରୀ ଶ୍ରୀ ମୋହନ ଚରଣ ମାଝୀ ଗଭୀର ଶୋକ ପ୍ରକାଶ କରିବା ସହ ମୃତକଙ୍କ ପରିବାର ପ୍ରତି ସମବେଦନା ଜଣାଇଛନ୍ତି। ରାଜ୍ୟ ସରକାରଙ୍କ ପକ୍ଷରୁ ମୃତକଙ୍କ ପରିବାର ନିମନ୍ତେ ରାଜ୍ୟ…
— CMO Odisha (@CMO_Odisha) February 5, 2025
The deceased were identified as Dibyajyoti Mahalik and Sikun Senapati from Unit-6 area under police limits in Bhubaneswar.
Both the students were 15 years old and studied in class 10.
Sources claimed that the deceased minors along with their teacher and other friends had gone to the Rangabazar area for the immersion of the Saraswati idol.
The two students went into the river water carrying the Goddess idol while the others were at the river bank.
Dibyajyoti and Sikun, who entered the river to immerse the idol, lost control and fell into the deep waters.
The students failed to come out of the water despite all their efforts.
Finding no option, the tuition teacher called up the police and the Fire Service personnel for help.
The minors were later fished out of the river by fire services personnel who rushed them to Capital Hospital where the doctors declared the duo dead.
The Balianta Police have launched an investigation into the incident by registering an unnatural death case.
