Sundaragada: Three minor girls drowned while bathing in the Sankh river in Raibaga area of Odisha’s Sundaragada district on Wednesday.
According to preliminary information, the three were in a group of girls who had gone to collect water and sand for a puja ceremony. The mishap took place when they were taking a bath before the sacred collection.
The incident occurred at Majhatoli in Salangabahal panchayat under the jurisdiction of Raiboga police station.
Sources said around 6 minor girls from a nearby village went to the Sankh river to collect sand for the puja. Before collecting the sand, the girls entered the river to bathe. During this time, three of them ventured into deep water and drowned.
The deceased have been identified as Sibika Sahu (6), Gitika Sahu (6), and Shruti Sahu (8). All three were residents of Majhatoli.
As the other girls of the group raised an alarm after the three went missing, villagers living near the river rushed to the spot. The girls were pulled out of the river and the Raiboga police were informed about the incident.
A police team rushed to the spot and shifted the girls to Salangabahal Primary Health Centre. They were later taken to the Community Health Centre (CHC) at Birmitrapur, where doctors declared the girls dead.
