Bhubaneswar: A tragic outing in Cuttack City in Odisha turned deadly after two young engineers in Maharashtra drowned in Kathajodi River. Authorities confirmed on Monday that the body of the second missing engineer was recovered during a large-scale overnight search operation.
According to local police, four engineers hired by a private construction company went to the river bank near Biren Mitra Park on Sunday afternoon, and were dipped in leisure afternoon around 3pm on Sunday. When one of them loses his footing and is swept away by the strong currents of the river, the start of entertaining visits quickly becomes disastrous.
Another engineer jumped in to save his colleague’s desperate attempt, but he was also overwhelmed by the rapid water. Rescue teams, including personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), launched a continuous search operation for missing individuals throughout the night, despite the body of one victim being recovered Sunday night.
“The engineer’s body was retrieved early Monday morning in the early Monday morning,” said senior Cuttack police official.
The deceased were identified as Rutikesh Matal and Rutik Bhonje in his 20s and were from Maharashtra. Their bodies have been taken to SCB Medical College and Hospital for autopsy. Authorities have notified the victim’s family and are arranging for the handover of the body.
The incident casts a shadow on the ongoing construction projects of the Prime Minister’s Medical Institution in Odisha, with authorities urging visitors to exercise caution along the riverbank, especially before the monsoon, when water levels and currents are unpredictable.
As temperatures rise, more and more people flock to the body of water to beat the high summer heat, the incident follows a series of drowning cases reported across the state.
