Berhampur: A quiet afternoon in Patanda village in the Ganjam district, turned tragic on Tuesday when two Class VII students drowned while bathing in a local pond.
The victims, 13-year-old Manini and her friend Pranjali, had gone to the pond together. According to reports, Manini slipped into deep water, and Pranjali's attempt to rescue her ended in both girls getting drowned.
Alarmed villagers rushed to the spot and, with the help of the fire brigade, managed to bring the girls out. They were immediately taken to Digapahandi Hospital, but doctors declared them dead on arrival.
Police have begun investigating the exact circumstances of the drowning, even as the community struggles to come to terms with the sudden tragedy.