Bhubaneswar: Body of retired Professor Baishnab Charan Singh was recovered from Jobra Barrage on River Mahanadi in Cuttack on Tuesday, missing for the last two days. He was 79.
Police sources said Professor Singh, a retired teaching faculty of Cuttack’s Ravenshaw College (now Ravenshaw University), was a native of the Rajendra Nagar area in Cuttack, but staying at Patia in Bhubaneswar. He left home on December 15 without his mobile phone but did not return. Following which, his family members had lodged a complaint at Nandankanan Police Station .
Singh’s family members had reportedly stated in their complaint that he had left for Cuttack on a ‘Mo Bus’ from Patia around 7.45 am. The CCTV footage showed he got down from the bus at Sikharpur bus stop in Cuttack around 8.30 am. Since he did not carry a mobile phone, they were struggling to locate him.
Eyewitnesses said that he had inquired about directions to Jobra Barrage.
The published missing report in the media urged people to intimate his whereabouts if he was spotted, to police, or inform at the two telephone numbers given.
On Tuesday morning, locals spotted a body floating near gate number 94 of the Jobra Barrage at around 8.30 am and alerted local police. The body was recovered from water and sent to SCB Medical College and Hospital for postmortem.
On further verifications and after confirmation by family members, the deceased was identified as Professor Singh.
Police have launched a probe to ascertain the exact circumstances of his death.
