Sambalpur: A woman died after jumping into the Mahanadi river from a bridge at Burla in Odisha’s Sambalpur district on Wednesday.
The deceased has been identified as Anju Kumhar, a resident of Mahatab Nagar in Burla. She was married, but had been living separately.
According to sources, the woman moved onto the bridge while talking to someone on her mobile phone and then climb
ed onto the guard rails. Eyewitness videos captured the tense moments as the woman stood precariously on the edge of the bridge’s railing, refusing pleas from onlookers urging her to step down. As bystanders gathered and attempted to talk her down, she stood there crying inconsolably and then leapt into the river.
Locals also tried to rescue her but their efforts were unsuccessful, as the strong currents of the Mahanadi carried her away.
A police team from Burla reached the scene after being alerted. She was pulled out of the river and rushed to VIMSAR, Burla, where doctors declared her dead.
While police have launched an investigation to ascertain circumstances, which led her to take the extreme step, it is being suspected that the deceased was troubled due to family discord.