24-year-old Sandeep Kumar Upadhyay loses life in tragic accident while vacationing with friends
Incident raises concerns about beach safety and awareness among tourists visiting Odisha coast.
JAMSHEDPUR – A young employee of Tata Steel’s Jamshedpur plant drowned in the sea at Puri, Odisha, on Saturday morning, casting a pall of gloom over his family and colleagues.
Sandeep Kumar Upadhyay, 24, worked in the Iron Making Refractories department of Tata Steel.
The incident occurred around 11:30 AM when Upadhyay and three friends were bathing in the sea.
Two of the young men were caught in strong waves; while one friend managed to escape, Upadhyay was swept away.
His body was recovered about four hours later, nearly 5 kilometers from the incident site.
Upadhyay, a resident of Road No. 4 Bagan Area in Sidhgora, had joined Tata Steel in 2020.
He held the position of Operation Assistant in the NS 5 grade at the company.
The deceased had left for Puri after his duty shift, planning to return for work on Monday.
Puri Police have detained Upadhyay’s friends for questioning to rule out any foul play.
The body will be sent for post-mortem examination before being returned to Jamshedpur on Sunday.
This tragic incident highlights the need for increased safety measures and awareness at popular beach destinations.

