Bhubaneswar: Two minor brothers drowned while bathing in the Bhargavi river near the Janakadeipur railway bridge under Chandanpur police limits in Puri district on Saturday morning.
The deceased have been identified as siblings from the Ketakipatana area. The elder brother was 14 years old, while the younger was 12.
According to reports, the two boys had gone to the river for bathing when they slipped into deeper waters and were swept away. They drowned before any immediate help could reach them.
On being alerted, local residents rushed to the spot and managed to pull the boys out of the river. However, both were declared dead.
The bodies were later sent to the Puri District Headquarters Hospital for post-mortem examination.
The incident has left the Ketakipatana area in deep shock, with grief prevailing among family members and locals.