Sonepur: A Sunday morning outing turned into a near-fatal tragedy when a newlywed woman, who allegedly attempted suicide by jumping off the Mahanadi Bridge on the Sonepur-Sambalpur road.
According to sources, the incident took place when the woman, a resident of Kainphul village under Sonepur police station limits, was traveling with her husband on a motorcycle. An argument erupted between the couple, who had got married about 15 days ago, during their journey. In an attempt to defuse the tension and calm his wife down, the husband pulled the motorcycle over on the Mahanadi Bridge. The couple stopped for some time and began taking photographs. The brief intermission, however, failed to ease the friction. In a sudden move that shocked both her husband and onlookers, the woman leapt over the railing and plunged into the river below.
Several local youths who were bathing in the Mahanadi River witnessed the fall and immediately swam toward the spot to assist. Simultaneously, passersby quickly alerted Sonepur Fire Services , who rushed to the scene, joining forces with the local youths. Together, they successfully pulled the woman from the river.
Sources noted that the woman narrowly avoided critical injuries because she landed in a deep-water section of the river. She was rushed to the district headquarters hospital here and her condition is stated to be stable.
Meanwhile, police have begun an inquiry to ascertain the circumstances leading to the alleged suicide attempt.
