Bhubaneswar: In a tragic incident coinciding with the Janmashtami festival, two Class VIII students drowned in the Daya River on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar city today.

The victims, identified as Abhay Kumar Swain of Sundarpada and Subham Pradhan of BJB Nagar, were students of a private residential school under Dhauli police limits. 

According to reports, the duo, along with four other friends, had gone to bathe at Jadamali Ghat of the Daya River after returning home from school.

Tragedy struck when both were swept away while bathing. Fire services personnel managed to recover Abhay’s body, while a search operation was still underway till the last report came in to locate Subham.