Social media reels turn tragic: Two teenagers swept away in Koraput

Koraput, June 15: A social media trend turned fatal on Sunday as two teenage boys drowned while filming reels near Gulemi Waterfall, located close to Chandili under the Kotpad police limits in Odisha's Koraput district.

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The victims have been identified as Kiran Mirgan and Alokraj Suna, both aged 16, and residents of Mirgan Sahi in the Kosagumuda block of Nabarangpur district. The two were Class 10 students and reportedly close friends.

According to sources, the duo was part of a five-member group that had travelled to the popular waterfall on two motorbikes for a weekend outing. While exploring the scenic location, the group began recording short videos (reels) for social media. During the activity, Kiran and Alok were caught in the strong current and swept away.

The remote nature of the location and poor mobile network coverage hampered timely communication. After much difficulty, the remaining three friends were able to alert the victims’ families, local police, and fire department.

Rescue teams, including personnel from the local police and fire services, rushed to the spot and initiated a search operation. As of now, one body has been recovered, while the search for the second boy is ongoing.

Family members and relatives of the victims are present at the scene. The incident has cast a pall of gloom over the village and raised concerns about the rising trend of risky content creation among youth for social media platforms.