A minor boy went missing on Tuesday while taking a bath in the Mahanadi River near Ayatapur under Kandarpur police limits in Odisha’s Cuttack district.

Also Read: Two minor sisters drown in pond while taking bath in Odisha’s Balasore

According to sources, the incident occurred near Nageswar Temple ghat, where four local minors had gone together to bathe in the river. During the bath, one of the four boys accidentally slipped into deep water and was swept away by the river current, triggering panic among his friends and nearby residents.

After receiving information about the incident, locals immediately alerted the fire services department. A rescue team from Chauliaganj Fire Station reached the spot and launched a search operation in the river to trace the missing boy.

The missing minor boy has been identified as Somanath Sethi. Rescue personnel continued search efforts in the surrounding area of the river, which is underway.

The incident has created panic and concern among local residents. Authorities have urged people, especially children, to avoid entering deep waters during summer without proper safety measures, as river currents can become unexpectedly dangerous.

However, no comments were received from local police or the boy’s family in this regard.

Further details are awaited as the rescue operation continues.

Worth mentioning, earlier in another incident, two minor cousin sisters lost their lives after drowning in a pond in Bhuinpada village under Khantapada police limits of Odisha’s Balasore district, on May 3. The incident had cast a pall of gloom over the entire village.

The two minor girls, both aged around 10 years, had gone to the nearby village pond for bathing when the incident occurred. During the process, they accidentally slipped into deep water and drowned before help could reach them.