Cuttack: Two Bol Bom devotees (Kanwariyas) were swept away today evening when they were lifting river water at Gadagadia Ghat in Cuttack. However, one of them was later rescued and the other went missing and a search operation is still on to trace him.
The missing devotee was identified as 26-year-old Soumyaranjan Patra. He is the son of Sushant Kumar Patra, a resident of Patia locality in Bhubaneswar.
According to a source, at around 6.30 PM, the two Kanwariyas from Bhubaneswar had gone to the Ghat to lift water from river Mahanadi to perform Jala Lagi ritual, when the mishap occurred.
The two youths were swept away in river water that has surged following incessant rain.
ODRAF team present at the spot launched a frantic search. Despite striving for around 4 hours, the youth has not been traced yet.