Salipur: A pall of gloom descended on Karamuna village under Salipur block today after a three-year-old drowned while taking part in ‘Boita Bandana’ on occasion of the Kartika Purnima.

Locals said, during the early hours, Pradipta Bhoi’s three-year-old son had gone to the village pond to float a miniature boat. However, he slipped into the deep water.

The boy was immediately fished out from the pond by the villagers. His family members rushed him to the Salipur CHC where doctors declared him brought dead.

They alleged the drowning case at the village pond has been occurring frequently as it is in a bad state. There were no steps near the pond dug by the Panchayat. 

During Dola Purnima this year, a Plus II student drowned in the pond.

Earlier in the day, another drowning was reported from Malkangiri district. A minor girl met watery grave during Boita Bandana celebration. 

The deceased girl was identified as Sabitri Hantal of Champanagar village near Malkangiri town.

The 12-year-old girl along with friends had been to a nearby pond in the morning. She drowned in the pond while collecting coins from the miniature boats sailed by devotees on today’s auspicious occasion.