Puri: A 27-year-old tourist from Rajasthan drowned in the Swetaganga pond near Jagannath Temple on Monday afternoon, marking the fourth such incident in the past two months.
The deceased, identified as Pradeep Sen from Rajasthan’s Bundi district, was visiting Puri with his family when the tragedy occurred. Fire brigade personnel recovered his body, and doctors at the district headquarters hospital later pronounced him dead. Local police have registered an unnatural death case.
Local resident Shankar Mahapatra expressed concern over the frequent incidents, attributing them to the absence of lifeguards. Assistant fire officer Prabhat Kumar Raut said that lifeguards are typically deployed only during major festivals like Rath Yatra. “Most drowning cases occur due to tourist negligence. These incidents could be prevented with proper awareness and caution while bathing,” he added.