14-Yr-Old Boy Drowns in Mahanadi River near Bhattarika Shrine

Cuttack: In a heart-wrenching incident at the revered Bhattarika shrine, a young boy lost his life while bathing in the Mahanadi river.

The victim has been identified as Alexander Jagannath Prasad Nayak, a bright student studying in the 9th grade and a resident of Sasanga village under Baramba block in Cuttack.

According to the available information, Alexander had gone to the Bhattarika shrine after completing his tuition, intending to refresh himself by taking a bath in the nearby Mahanadi river. However, tragedy struck when he entered the river, and the strong current swiftly pulled him into its depths, leading to his untimely drowning.

Local resident Fakir Charan Rout shared, “He arrived at the river around 9 am, with the intention of bathing, but unfortunately, he lost his life due to drowning. We immediately alerted the Fire Department, who responded promptly. However, they lacked the necessary equipment to rescue the boy from the deep waters. Realizing the urgency, they reached out to the Balijhari and Banki fire offices for assistance. Although they successfully retrieved the boy, it was, tragically, too late.”

Nabaghana Mallik, the in-charge of Badamba Fire Services, recounted the incident, stating, “Upon receiving the distress call, our team arrived at the location within a mere 10 minutes. However, it appeared that the boy had submerged in a particularly deep section of the river. Consequently, we enlisted the help of the nearby Balijhari Fire Office and Banki, equipped with specialized scuba diving gear. With their invaluable assistance, we managed to recover the boy’s lifeless body within minutes.”