The remains of Rabi Soni, a social worker who had been unaccounted for since the evening of August 26, were retrieved today from the Ib River near OPM ghat and the local cremation site by the Jharsuguda ODRAF team.
Soni was last seen riding his scooter towards OPM ghat at approximately 7 PM on August 26. The next morning, residents found his abandoned scooter by the riverbank and notified the Brajrajnagar police. Despite thorough search efforts, no sign of him was located until ODRAF divers discovered his body around 10 AM today.
According to police reports, Soni’s wife filed a formal complaint on August 27, which led to organized search initiatives. It has been reported that Soni had been experiencing mental health challenges recently, with erratic posts on social media and unusual behavior raising alarms among those who knew him. Locals have speculated that he might have taken his own life, as he had mentioned the concept of a “water burial” in recent conversations.
Soni was recognized as a philanthropist and social activist in Brajrajnagar and is survived by his wife, a staff nurse at Burla hospital, a son, as well as his mother and brother who reside locally. The authorities have dispatched his body for a post-mortem examination.
