Cuttack, Dec 4: The body of a man who went missing after his car plunged into the Birupa River late Wednesday night was recovered on Thursday morning by rescue teams. Officials from the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and Fire Services confirmed that the deceased has been identified as Udit Sahoo, a resident of Lingipur, Bhubaneswar.

According to reports, Sahoo’s vehicle veered off the road and fell into the river on Wednesday night. Residents rushed to the spot and managed to rescue another person accompanying him in the car, who survived the incident. However, Sahoo could not be traced immediately despite extensive search operations.

Rescue teams worked through the night and were able to retrieve the submerged car along with Sahoo’s mobile phone. The search for his body continued until Thursday morning, when ODRAF divers finally located and recovered it from the river.

Authorities stated that the swift response of locals helped save one life, while coordinated efforts by ODRAF and Fire Services ensured the recovery of the vehicle and the missing person. The incident has cast a pall of gloom over Lingipur.

This incident has once again highlighted Odisha’s worrying road-safety record. According to the State Transport Authority’s recent data, Odisha reported more than 5,500 road accident deaths in 2023, ranking among the states with the highest fatality rates in the country. Overspeeding continues to be the single-largest cause of crashes, accounting for over 60 per cent of all accident-related deaths in the state. Cuttack and Khurda remain among the top districts reporting frequent high-impact road mishaps.

Local residents at Jagatpur said the riverside stretch has witnessed several accidents in recent months and called for stronger safety measures, including guard railings and better lighting.