Two youths went missing after a fishing boat capsized while crossing the Tantighai River in Jajpur district on Thursday morning.
While local residents managed to rescue two elderly women from the turbulent waters, an intensive search and rescue operation is currently underway to trace the missing individuals.
According to local reports, the tragedy unfolded at approximately 8:00 AM at the Dauri Bandha Ghat. Four members of a single family—identified as 75-year-old Hemalata Dalai, her 60-year-old daughter Bhama Dalai, and Hemalata’s grandsons Subhankar Dalai and Mania Dalai, all residents of Mohammad Jamalpur village—were navigating the river.
The family had traveled out earlier to witness the grand Durga idol immersion procession at Daunrakula. However, on their return journey early Thursday morning, their boat was overwhelmed by river conditions and sank unexpectedly.
Quick-thinking locals rushed to the scene upon hearing cries for help, successfully pulling Hemalata and Bhama from the water. The two women were promptly rushed to a nearby medical facility, where hospital sources confirmed their conditions are currently stable.
Tragically, Subhankar and Mania remain untraced. Following alerts from local authorities, teams from the Fire Services department rapidly arrived at the location and deployed specialised units to launch a comprehensive search operation across the river. Local administration and police officials are closely monitoring the situation as rescue efforts continue.
