The body of a seven-year-old girl, missing for two days, was recovered from a canal in Badhinakolha village under Rajnagar block of Kendrapara district on Friday.
The deceased has been identified as Shubhalakhmi, daughter of Kalandi Charan Nayak.
Reports said Shubhalakhmi’s mother, Sushama Pattanaik, had married Mangobinda Senapati of Malipur village under Patamundai police station. She had been living at her parental home in Badhinakolha for the past year along with her daughter.
The girl went missing while a kirtan programme was underway in the village. After failing to trace her, Sushama lodged a missing complaint at Rajnagar police station. Fire service personnel and police teams launched a search operation around ponds and nearby areas. Bloodstains were reportedly found near the canal on Thursday evening, but darkness halted the search.
On Friday morning, villagers spotted the body floating in a canal connected to the Brahmani River. Fire service officials and police recovered the body and sent it for post-mortem examination.
Police registered a case and began a detailed investigation. The exact cause of death and the circumstances leading to the tragedy remain unclear. Authorities said they are probing all angles, including foul play.
