Rayagada,9th Jan..Nagavali river in Rayagada district,has claimed the live of two minor boys,students of standard 6th today.The two deceased boys identified as Srinu kumar yadav and Ch Bhargav charan.Sources said the two,students of a private english medium school in Rayagada town, along with two other classmates reached the hanging bridge over Nagavali river at Chekaguda ,on the outskrit of rayagada townaround 5 pm.While two boys stayed at a distance,the deceased two reached the hanging bridge and started palying ball.As the ball into the river they alighted and drowned while collecting the ball.The other two boys Janmejay and Kuna,said`Bhargav and Srinu alighted from the bridge,when their ball slipped into the river,while Bhargav entered the river to get the ball,but drowned and to save him Srinu also drowned and we cried for help`.Being informed,fire brigade team reached the spot and retrieved both the deadbodies.Fire officer Ramesh behera said,receiving the information we reached the spot and rescued the two boys,but both were breathed their last.We informed the police.A case has been registered and investigation is on said police.The irony is that due to dilapedited condition and several deaths reported at the spot in the river,the hanging bridge was totaly closed in 2022,following the death of two school students. The bridge was sealed with iron grills installed and prohibigtory boards at both ends.However,due to lcak of police deployment,people used to visit the hanging bridge,the second one in Odisha and sorrounded by mesmerising scenary.The 151-metre-long bridge connecting Chekaguda area of Rayagada town with Mariguda village, is suspended at a height of over 33 metre above Nagavali through cantilever technology.It was constructed in 2011 and opened for public in 2012,designed by Karnataka based Bharat Grama Sethu Pratisthan and was ascribed to Odisha Police Housing corporation by the district administration,which worked out more than one crore project.
