Eight persons, including six from one village, drowned while they bathing in a river after Holi celebrations in two separate incidents in Odisha since Friday.
Tragedy unfolded at Mangalaghat on the bank of Kharasrota river in Jajpur district on Friday. Seven teenagers, aged between 16 and 21 years, went to take a bath in the Kharasrota in the afternoon. One of the victims slipped and was swept away by the swirling waters of the river. Another victim tried to pull him out, but failed and also drowned. All six, who hailed from Bandhmula village, fell victim one after another in the same way.
Villagers managed to rescue one of the group, who is in critical condition. Fire personnel recovered two bodies on Friday. Subsequently, Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) personnel were pressed into service to trace bodies. They found one body on Saturday morning.
