Berhampur: A man died while saving his son from drowning in a river in Odisha’s Ganjam district on Tuesday.
According to sources, Arun Panda of Nimakhandipentha village under Digapahandi block in the district was working in Rourkela. A few days back, he had come on a visit to his native along with his wife and 10-year-old son Alok Panda.
On Tuesday, he had gone to attend a function of a relative in his in-law’s village Talasingi in the same block. At around 2 pm, Arun and his son went to take bath in the nearby Ghodahada river.
But, while bathing in the river, Alok slipped and went into deep water. In order to save his son, Arun went near him. He dragged Alok out of deep water and managed to save him from drowning. But in the process, Arun was driven further deep by a heavy current in the river and could not come out.
Alok rushed to the village and informed the relatives and villagers about Arun. Local sarpanch informed the Fire Brigade. After a search and rescue operatioin for around 2 hours, the Fire personnel with the help of the villagers traced unconscious Arun and rushed him to a hospital at Digapahandi. But the doctors declared him brought dead.
The police have registered an unnatural death case and sent the body for post-mortem.
