Bhubaneswar, Oct. 13: A 25-year-old software engineer yesterday drowned in Mahendra Tanaya river at Paralakhemundi after falling off a mango tree while taking a selfie on the riverbank.

Police recovered the body of the deceased, Rakesh Patnaik, this morning. Rakesh used to work with a software firm in Bangalore.

The cops said Rakesh and his friend Sai Giridhar had first gone to watch a movie at a theatre and later decided to spend some time on the riverbank.

"Rakesh was taking a selfie sitting on a branch of the mango tree when his mobile phone suddenly slipped off his hand. When Rakesh tried to bend to grab his phone, he fell 15 feet off the tree straight into the river," said Gajapati police superintendent Sushil Panigrahi, quoting an eyewitness.

Rakesh and Sai did not know how to swim.

Upon getting the information, fire personnel and Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (Odraf) swung into action, but could not trace the body yesterday evening. The body was recovered around 7.30am today.

"We have already held a discussion with the district administration after the incident and have asked our officials to see that people do not to take selfies in dangerous places near the river," said Panigrahi.

This is the first case of death of any person while taking a selfie reported in the state. But on September 26, an engineering student from Bhubaneswar was critically injured when he came in contact with live wire while taking a selfie on a train boggy at Mancheswar. The victim, Subhendu Naik, had suffered 60 per cent burn injuries.

The state tourism department has also earmarked 20 dangerous zones, including waterfalls and hilltops, at a number of tourist places where people should always be on alert and should not take selfies.

Waterfalls, such as Duduma in Koraput district, S. Sanghagara, Gonasika, Badaghagra and Satkoshia gorge in Keonjhar district, Khandadhar in Sundargarh district, Barehipani waterfall at Similipal in Mayurbhanj and water bodies such as Chilika Lake, Chandrabhaga beach near Puri, and the Bhitarkanika National Park in Kendrapada district are on the list.

The Khandagiri and Udaygiri hills, the Dhauli Shanti Stupa in Khurda and the Sun Temple at Konark have also been included in the list.

The department has already instructed district collectors and tourist officers to start identifying the exact locations and begin the fencing process.

"Youngsters these days are obsessed with taking selfies. It is high time we take steps for the safety of the tourists," said tourism minister Ashok Panda.

Shortly, "selfie spots" in other tourist areas will also be located in a phased manner, said another official of tourism department. The department would also host awareness camps for tour operators and others stakeholders in the tourism industry to ensure that tourists do not take selfies in risky zones.

In August, the Union tourism ministry had also issued an advisory to all states to locate selfie danger spots.