BHADRAK: AT least three college students drowned in Nalia river near Haripur village within Bhadrak Rural police limits here on Tuesday.
The deceased were identified as Smruti Ranjan Swain and Rajat Jena of Sridharpur village and Pranaya Lenka of Haripur village. While Smruti and Rajat were Plus Two students in Charampa College, Pranaya was enrolled in a local ITI. All three of them were 17-18 years old.
Sources said the mishap took place at around 1 pm. Five students including Smruti, Rajat and Pranaya had gone to take bath in Nalia river. While bathing, four of them slipped into deep water and were trapped inside. The fifth student managed to swim to safety and raised an alarm.
On hearing his screams, villagers working nearby rushed to the spot and jumped into the river. They rescued a student who was clinging on to a floating weed. The other three boys, however, were found unconscious inside the river.
The students were rushed to the district headquarters hospital, Bhadrak where three of them were declared dead. The fourth student has been admitted to the hospital and his condition is critical, said treating doctor PK Kar.
