Cuttack: A 22-year-old youth from Rajasthan lost his life after accidentally falling into an open drain at Jhola Sahi in Odisha's Cuttack city.

The deceased, identified as Rahul, had recently arrived in Cuttack to visit his relatives when the unfortunate incident occurred. Reports indicate that he was en route to a teashop when the incident took place. Yesterday's heavy rainfall had resulted in several low-lying areas of Cuttack being waterlogged.

This incident has sent shockwaves throughout the area, as it marks the second reported death of its kind in the city in recent months.

In response to the tragedy, the father of the deceased lodged a complaint with the Purighat police regarding the incident. Recounting the events, the grieving father, who runs a tea shop in Puri, stated, "I received a call informing me about the incident, wherein my son fell into an open drain and was subsequently admitted to the hospital. Upon receiving the call, I rushed to Cuttack and was devastated to learn about his passing."

Expressing his concern over the lack of safety measures, he added, "The city is plagued with open drains. I urge the administration to take immediate action before more lives are lost, as my son's. We have relatives in Cuttack, and he had just arrived here yesterday to visit them. He was my eldest son."

Local corporator Gagan Ojha criticized the government and the Cuttack administration, referring to the incident as a complete failure on their part. He stated, "Despite their tall claims, the existence of open drains exposes the harsh reality. Previously, I personally accompanied the Commissioner to the location and requested the installation of slabs. They had even prepared an estimated budget of Rs 1.4 crore for the restoration work. However, the funding was halted, with the explanation that JICA had taken over the tender for work in the Cuttack Municipal Corporation area. Unfortunately, JICA has failed to carry out any work in Cuttack."

He concluded by emphasizing the potential for further fatalities if such negligence persists, asserting that the administration would bear the responsibility for those future tragedies.