Odisha, Sept 25: An Odisha journalist of a regional channel, ODRAF personnel die. A team of at least 80 forest officials from two forest divisions of Odisha launched a major operation to rescue an adult tusker that was trapped inside the swirling floodwaters of Mahanadi River near Mundali bridge of Cuttack district.
An Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) boat carrying personnel and media persons capsized while during a rescue mission to save a stranded tusk in the floodwaters.
A journalist of a regional channel in Odisha, Arindam Das, died as the boat swept away, and the Prabhat, a photojournalist who was onboard is in serious condition.
ଓଟିଭିର ଯୁବ ସାମ୍ବାଦିକ ତଥା ମୋର ବନ୍ଧୁ ଅରିନ୍ଦମ ଦାସଙ୍କ ଏକ ଅଭାବନୀୟ ଘଟଣାରେ ଅକାଳ ବିୟୋଗ ଖବର ଶୁଣି ମୁଁ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତିଗତ ଭାବେ ଦୁଃଖିତ ଓ ମର୍ମାହତ । ସାମାଜିକ ଓ ରାଜନୈତିକ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟକ୍ରମରେ ଅରିନ୍ଦମଙ୍କ ସହ ବହୁ ଥର ଦେଖା ସାକ୍ଷାତ୍ ହୋଇଛି । pic.twitter.com/ldm2K1n73N
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) September 24, 2021
Deeply anguished by the boat tragedy which, despite safety precautions, took the life of @otvnews' intrepid chief reporter Arindam Das while covering an ODRAF elephant rescue. He was & is a hero. My deepest condolences to his family & prayers for the injured & missing
Om Shanti🙏 pic.twitter.com/SebUVfREN4— Baijayant Jay Panda (@PandaJay) September 24, 2021
Swept away by strong currents in the Mahanadi, the elephant was found stuck near Mundali bridge in Odisha’s Cuttack.
A 10-member expert team along with Chandaka DFO reached Mundali for ‘Operation Gaja’ to rescue the tusker stuck in Mahanadi waters
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Locals spotted the elephant on hearing its trumpeting sound and immediately informed the fire brigade personnel.
The elephant is one among seven others of a herd that were swept away by heavy currents while crossing the Mahanadi River near Mundali today morning. It got stuck near Mundali Bridge while the remaining six elephants safely reached Nuasasan in the Athagarh block of Cuttack district.
Till now three persons had been rescued and rushed to a nearby hospital.