Sambalpur: Search Ends in Tragedy; Class IX Girl Who Jumped Into Mahanadi Found in Cuttack After Three Days
Sambalpur: Authorities found the body of Kajal Sahani, a Class IX girl, on Tuesday in Odisha’s Athagarh area. Kajal had gone missing three days ago after reportedly jumping into the Mahanadi River in Sambalpur.
Discovery of the Body
Locals discovered the girl’s body floating near the banks of the river at Kandarpur, within the Athagarh police limits, early in the morning. After being alerted, Fire Service personnel swiftly reached the location, retrieved the body, and transported it to Athagarh Hospital for further examination.
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The Tragic Incident
Kajal Sahani, a student at the Hindi School near Golebazar in Sambalpur, left home for school on the morning of August 24. However, just an hour later, she was spotted near the Chaunpur bridge by morning walkers. Witnesses saw her park her bicycle and jump into the swollen Mahanadi River before they could intervene.
Search Efforts and Family’s Grief
The river’s waters had risen significantly due to the release of water from the Hirakud Dam, making the search operation difficult. Despite the strong currents, four teams of firefighters worked tirelessly to find the girl.
The loss of Kajal left her family heartbroken, especially as they had already suffered the devastation of losing her older sister to drowning 12 years ago. Kajal’s father, Rambhajan Sahani, expressed surprise, stating that Kajal had no apparent problems or conflicts. He had even advised her to stay home due to the rain, but she insisted on attending school.
