Youth Drowns in Puri’s Narendra Puskarini Pond

Puri: A youth tragically drowned in the sacred Narendra Puskarini pond in Puri on Wednesday afternoon while bathing, marking the third such incident at the site in the past two years. The identity of the deceased has not been confirmed.

Eyewitnesses reported that the youth, who was unable to swim, had entered the pond to cool off amid the rising heat. He soon began struggling in the water and was unable to reach the shore. Local residents immediately alerted the fire brigade, which launched a search operation. His body was later recovered from the pond.

The youth was rushed to the Puri District Headquarters Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

This incident follows two similar drownings reported last year. In those cases, Raj Kishore Satpathi and Nalinikant Tripathi, both pilgrims, lost their lives while bathing in the same pond.

The repeated tragedies have raised concerns over safety measures at the sacred site, which attracts thousands of devotees and tourists.