Cuttack, Aug. 25: A student of Sri Sri University today drowned in the Kathajodi river at Bidyadharpur, 15km from here.

Police said the youth had been identified as Bhanu Thakur, 22, a BCom first-year student from Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh.

Bidyadharpur resident Kishore Mangaraj said two students got into the river around 1pm despite being warned of its strong undercurrent. Their friends - five other students - were also ready to join the duo but backed out.

When local residents saw the two drowning, they dived into the river, but could save only one, Mangaraj said.

The Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (Odraf) and fire services team later fished out Bhanu's body.

Fire officer Laxmidhar Pradhan said the body was fished out downstream after a rescue operation that went for for nearly five hours.

Four teams from the fire services department and two from Odraf were engaged in the rescue operation.