Tragic drowning incident: 12-year-old boy's body recovered from Kathajodi river

Cuttack: Body of a 12-year-old boy, who was swept away in the Kathajodi river near Basantakundal in Bentkar village of Cuttack on Sunday, was recovered from Balikuda in Jagatsinghpur district on Tuesday.Subham Barik and his friend Guru Prasad Nayak, 11, went to bathe in the river around 11:30 am on Sunday when they were caught in strong currents. Locals managed to rescue Guruprasad and rushed him to hospital, but doctors declared him brought dead. Subham could not be traced for nearly two days despite intensive search efforts.A team from Chauliaganj fire station, along with professional divers, conducted search operations in coordination with local police and villagers. City fire officer Sanjib Behera said, “The body of the missing boy was found floating near Balikuda, about 25 km downstream from the spot where he went missing. After identification by family members, it was handed over to police for post-mortem.”“We have urged authorities to install safety barriers and warning signs along the riverbank, particularly in areas where children often go to bathe,” said Sarat Das, a resident of Bentkar. Police registered an unnatural death case.