Two people drowned on Monday while swimming in a river near Puraina in Khajura Rural Municipality of Banke district.

A nine-year-old Khajura-6 local and 18-year-old Lakshmi Dangi died while swimming in the river bordering Banke and Bardiya, police said.

A total of four people had gone for swimming. The family and the police were informed after two vanished in the river.

According to Sandeep Belbase, in charge of the Khajura Area Police Office, one body was found within minutes of drowning, while another two hours later.