A festive Ganesh immersion ended in tragedy on Wednesday when two students drowned in the Ghodahad River at Hinjilicut municipality in Ganjam district.
The deceased were identified as Adarsh Sahu (14) of Gajapati Marg and Preetam Sameli (14) of Gayatri Nagar. Both boys had joined others for the immersion ceremony but accidentally ventured into deep waters.
Locals pulled them out in critical condition and rushed them to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared them dead. The incident has cast a pall of grief over the locality, leaving families inconsolable.
Police have registered a case and seized the bodies for post‑mortem.
