A squad has been formed by the Rourkela police, comprising officials of Fire Department and the Rourkela Steel Plant to launch a search operation at a nullah, where five youths were suspected to have drowned.
These youths, who had reportedly entered into the RSP premises, during wee hours on June 3, allegedly for stealing some steel scrap items, have mysteriously gone missing. Family members and locals suspect that they might have been drowned in the underground mud of the nullah.
According to sources, the matter had come to light here only after one of the family members of victim persons filed a missing report in Uditnagar police station of the city on Thursday. According to his report, Raju Nayak, a native of Sitalpada basti area of the city, along with five other youths of their locality, had left their home during wee hours on June 3, telling their family members that they would return within couple of hours.
But as they did not return, the family members searched them but could not trace them. Police sources said that these five persons had entered into the RSP premises with an intention of stealing some scrap materials, which was their routine practice.
Among the missing persons, apart from Raju, other missing persons were identified as Tikina, Gahanu, Suraj and Suresh, all in the age group of 27 to 32 years.
Investigating into the matter, a police team along with officials of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) visited several spots, which has been the normal route of these persons for entering in to the plant. Sources said there have been some holes in the boundary wall at different locations, which has been the entry point of the persons, who enter RSP premises for stealing some materials.
Sources said police suspects that the youths might have got drowned after being trapped in the underground mud of a nulla.