A Class-XII student of a local school died on Thursday by drowning in the Koel river. The body was recovered and rushed to the Ispat General Hospital, but was declared brought dead.
Sources said a group of young boys, all in the age group of 17-18 years, was playing cricket at one ground of Jagada area of the city on Friday morning hour. At about 10 am, after their game was over, about eight of them had gone to neighbouring Baikuntha ghat area of Koel river, and were bathing in the river and having fun. There one of the boys drowned, following which his friends had screamed for help. Some locals dialed the fire brigade. After about half an hour of search operation, the body was fished out.
The deceased was identified as Devidutta Sahoo, a student of class XII (Science) of Guru Nanak Public school of the city. The Sector 19 police registered an unnatural death case.