Two students who had recently passed their Class 10 examinations drowned in a pond at Ankuli Nuabandh under Badyanathpur police limits in Ganjam district.
The victims were identified as Biswajit Panda of Gajapati Nagar and Abhijit Mandi of Khodasingh.
Reports said the boys went to the pond to play when they accidentally slipped into deep water. Locals noticed the incident and tried to rescue them but failed. They immediately alerted the fire brigade, which reached the spot and retrieved the bodies.
The students were taken to MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur, where doctors declared them dead on arrival. Police sent the bodies for a post-mortem and began an investigation to determine the circumstances leading to the drowning.
Badyanathpur police questioned residents to gather more details about the incident. Officers said the area has several ponds where children often play, and they urged parents to remain vigilant.
The tragic event has cast a pall of grief over the community, with residents mourning the loss of two young lives. Authorities are considering safety measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
