Children drowned during festival

Two children drowned in a pond when a small boat ferrying them overturned during the Boita Bandan festival at a village in Dhenkanal district today.

The mishap took place when the victims and their relatives were celebrating Boita Bandana on the occasion of Kartika Purnima at village Kandabindha near here, police said.

As the boat overturned and sank, most of its occupants managed to swim ashore, but the two children drowned.

The deceased were identified as Ansuman Sahu (7) Deepika Barik (10).