Post News Network
Komna, Dec 17: A 63-year-old man of Kamkeda village under Nuagaon panchayat and about 10 km from here in Nuapada district died of alleged starvation Thursday.
TK Mahananda was landless and begged for survival with his mentally-challenged daughter. His son was also mentally-challenged and had left home earlier.
Mahananda was bed-ridden over last fortnight and was unable to feed himself which resulted in his death, his sister Pana Tandi said.
On being informed, Komna police reached the spot and sent the body for post-mortem. The incident triggered tension in the area as villagers accompanied by Youth Congress activists put up the body on the National Highway-353 near the post-mortem centre and staged a road blockade demanding Rs 10 lakh compensation to the bereaved family, a house under Indira Awas Yojana and treatment of his mentally challenged children .
Tehsildar Abani Kumar Sahu tried to pacify the irate villagers. The villagers relented after the tehsildar announced a financial assistance of Rs 5,000 from the district Red Cross fund, Rs 2,000 under the Harishchandra Yojana and a house under Indira Awas Yojana as well as conducting an impartial probe into the incident, IIC Salya Naik said.
Sources said Mahananda was living with his son Hemant (25) after marrying off his daughter Rajeshwari (28) in Kushapali of Bolangir district. However, his daughter came to live with him after being affected by a mental disease. His son too became mentally challenged and left home for elsewhere. A landless, Mahananda was mentioned as 63-year-old in his voter identity card but was deprived of old-age pension till his death.
An Antyodaya card of Mahananda was cancelled during the preparation of ration cards under the National Food Security Act as an official mentioned his monthly income as Rs 10,000. As a result, he was not receiving his quota of rice for the last three months.
Left with little choice he and his daughter had to resort to begging for survival. Mahananda was going without food after becoming bedridden due to illness. His younger brother Madhu though gave him shelter was unable to take care of him and provide him food. PNN
