Kendrapada: A search and rescue operation for a 24-year-old youth, who went missing near the Baitarani River in Odisha’s Kendrapara district, was launched on Wednesday morning.
The youth has been identified as Jayarath Mallik,of Madhupada village in Rajkanika tehsil.
According to sources, locals spotted a motorcycle, a pair of slippers and a mobile phone left unattended at Gammon bridge over the river this morning. Suspecting that someone might have accidentally fallen or jumped into the river, they immediately dialled 112 helpline number. Rajkanika Police and Fire Services personnel soon reached the spot and initiated search efforts around 7 am, scanning the waters with binoculars and other equipment.
His family also reached the bridge and identified his belongings.
Incidentally, Jayarath had remained untraceable since late Tuesday night following an altercation with family members. “He was with us yesterday. He had not been answering his phone since 11 pm. We are waiting for the search operation to conclude,” his brother Srikant Mallik told a local news channel.
