Bhubaneswar, March 01: Five persons drowned in Orissa today while taking a bath after celebrating Holi, which was observed amid gaiety and camaraderie across the state.
People from segments of society splashed colours, embraced and greeted each other and exchanged sweets. Many foreign tourists also celebrated along with locals at Puri.
Three persons drowned in Ib river on the outskirts of Sundargarh, 100 km from Rourkela, as they slipped into deep water while taking a bath after Holi, police said.
The deceased, whose bodies were fished out by nearby villagers, were identified as Anup Dalwani (25), his cousin Avinash Dalwani (24) and Anand Rao (25), they said.
In a similar incident, two persons drowned in ponds in Berhampur during bath after festivities, police said.
The deceased were identified as Subhransu Behera (12) and Birendra Yadav (26).
–Agencies