A man was missing after he jumped into the Baleshwar river from a trawler in Indurkani of Pirojpur yesterday to get away from youths who were assaulting him and his friend.

His friend too jumped into the river and was fished out by locals.

The locals also held seven youths in this connection and handed them over to police.

Sources said the seven youths started beating up Khairuzzaman Sabuj, 32, and his friend Shamsul Arefin Rony, 34, a surveyor from Khulna Development Authority, on the trawler following an altercation.

They allegedly used knives.

Survivor Rony was sent to Khulna Medical College Hospital for better treatment.

Divers of Morrelganj fire station were looking for Sabuj in the river.

Rashedul Alam, officer-in-charge of Morrelganj Police Station of Bagerhat, said they were trying to find out why the youths assaulted the two.