A 25-year-old youth went missing on Sunday evening at the popular Thipakhol Pathabak tourist spot under Sinapali block in Nuapada district, Odisha.
The missing person has been identified as Basant Kumar, a native of Amalipada area in Chhattisgarh’s Gariabandh district. According to available information, Basant Kumar had visited the Thipakhol tourist site along with his friends as part of a Bolbam journey.
He was last seen around 5:30 pm. When he did not return, his companions and others present at the site launched an extensive search in the surrounding areas. After failing to locate him, they informed the Sinapali Fire Service department.
A fire service team promptly reached the spot and began combing operations in and around the waterfall. Search efforts by fire personnel are continuing in the waterfall area and nearby terrain. However, till the time of filing this report, no trace of Basant Kumar has been found.
The incident has left the youth’s family and friends deeply worried. It has once again raised serious questions about tourist safety, the adequacy of cautionary signage, and the availability of proper rescue mechanisms at scenic yet potentially hazardous sites such as Thipakhol waterfall.
Further details are awaited as the search operation remains underway.
