Andhra Man Jumps Into Odisha River, Saves Two Sons, One Still Missing

A pilgrim from Andhra Pradesh jumped into the swollen Nagavali river in Odisha's Rayagada district on Thursday and saved his minor two sons from being swept away while another went missing, police said.

The incident took place near a bridge on the river close to Goddess Majhi Ghariani Temple, the presiding deity of the region.

The river is in spate due to heavy rains but there is no flood in the southern Odisha district.

C Gopalkrishna, a forest department worker who hails from Eluru district of neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, was on a pilgrim and had reached Rayagada along with six others earlier in the day, officials said.

The man and his three sons were bathing in the river after visiting the temple. On seeing his three minor sons being swept away, he immediately jumped into the river and could save two of them.

Gopalakrishna was himself trapped in middle of the river while trying to save his third child, a six-year old boy. He held on to a rock till fire service personnel reached the area and threw a rope at him to pull him out of the fast flowing river.

The rope reached him in the third attempt and Gopalkrishna managed to climb back to the river bank holding it, the fire department official said.

The man and the two sons he saved were taken to a hospital for check up, police said.

A total six persons have been swept off by flood waters in Odisha recently.

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