A school student drowned and his classmate went missing while bathing in the Birupa river in the district on Thursday. The body of the deceased one was recovered.
According to reports, Lipan Pradhan and Akash Das of Choti village under the Derabish police station had gone to the river for taking bath but slipped into deep waters during the process.
Being informed, Fire Services personnel and an ODRAF team reached the spot; and, after an intensive operation, recovered the body of Akash from the river. Till last reports came in, efforts were on to trace the missing student Lipan.
Hundreds of locals thronged the spot to watch the rescue operations. Both the students had appeared for the recent HSC Examinations. After the incident, a pall of gloom descended in the area.