Bhubaneswar: A first year engineering student of Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology (VSSUT) at Burla in Odisha’s Sambalpur drowned while taking bath in the power channel of Hirakud dam today.

The deceased has been identified as Priyanshu Prakash Behera (19), son of Sanjay Behera of Dhenkanal.

Priyanshu was pursuing civil engineering at VSSUT. Priyanshu along with some of his friends went to the power channel of Hirakud dam to take a bath in the morning.

The 19-year-old drown after he was drifted towards deep water while bathing in the power channel. His friends rescued Priyanshu and rushed him to Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR). However, he was declared dead on arrival by the doctors.