In a bizzare incident, a 44-year-old man was thrown into the Ib river from the Ramtela bridge in Jharsuguda district by his colleagues on Saturday night suspecting him to be dead.
Gautam Bhandare, who was working as a labourer in the Odisha Power Generation Corporation limited (OPGC) plant at Banaharpali of Jharsuguda district, fell sick in the night.
Following which he was taken to Burla hospital in a four-wheeler by four of his colleagues.
However, when Bhandare stopped breathing mid-way to the hospital, his colleagues, suspecting him to be dead, threw him into Ib river from the Ramtela bridge.
However, some locals informed the Banharpali police suspecting the activities of Gautam’s colleagues.
Police have detained the four persons including driver of the vehicle and are questioning them.
Meanwhile, a rescue operation has been started by the local administration with the help of police, fire service and ODRAF personnel.