Boat on way to rescue jumbo capsizes; journo killed, ODRAF man missing

BHUBANESWAR: A journalist died and one of the five Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) personnel went missing after the inflatable rubber boat they were sailing in to rescue an elephant stranded in the Mundali barrage over the Mahanadi capsized on Friday.

The deceased journalist was identified by police as Arindam Das (39). He was the chief reporter of an Odia news channel, Odisha TV or OTV. He is survived by his wife and a five-year-old son.

Five others — four ODRAF personnel and a cameraperson of OTV — who were also in the boat with

Arindam

were rescued safely. The cameraperson,

Pravat Sinha

, and two ODRAF men are currently undergoing treatment in the medicine ICU of the

SCB Medical College and Hospital

, Cuttack.

Bhubanananda Maharana, emergency officer of SCB, said, “Four persons, including a video journalist and the reporter of a news channel, were brought here in a serious condition. Arindam was received dead at the hospital.

Cameraman Pravat

and two ODRAF personnel are critical and in the ICU.”

On receiving information about the wild tusker from the forest department, the ODRAF officials rushed to the site of the incident. “Once we get a distress call, we waste no time and swing into action. While sailing across the Mahanadi, the boat swirled close to the pillars of the barrage and capsized. Following this, the engine malfunctioned. The personnel on board starting running for cover. Those standing on the roof of the bridge helped rescue some with ropes. The local boatman also helped rescue some of the crew members,” an ODRAF official said.

Sources said the reporter and his cameraman volunteered to sail in the boat, along with the ODRAF personnel. At about 12.45pm, the ODRAF brought the boat and boarded it from the Athgarh end of the barrage. The mishap took place between 12.45pm and 1pm, they added.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the state fire service personnel are still on the job of rescuing the missing ODRAF personnel.