Boy swept away in open drain dies

Berhampur: An eleven-year-old boy died after he was swept away in an open drain which was flooded after heavy rain in Berhampur on Wednesday night. The boy has been identified as Sairam Patra, son of Siba Patra, a refrigerator mechanic. Sairam was studying in Maa Saraswati Sishu Mandir, Diamond Tank Road. The incident occurred in Haridakhandi amid torrential rainfall when Sairam was returning home from tuition on his bicycle at 8 pm.

As the road and the drain were over-flooded, Sairam fell into the drain with his bicycle. He was swept away in the strong current of gushing rain water. Though some people present there immediately rushed to rescue him, they were able to recover only his bicycle. His body was rescued after five hours of search about 500 metres away from the spot in a low-lying area covered with bushes by the locals and the Fire Brigade personnel at 1.30 am.