Betnoti/Sundargarh: Two teachers engaged in Census work died of reported sunstroke in separate incidents in the state Sunday.
In Mayurbhanj district, Rajkapur Hembram, a teacher of Baidyanath High School at Purinda Kakharua under Betnoti block, died Sunday evening while undergoing treatment at PRM Medical College and Hospital in Baripada.
He had been engaged in the Central government’s Census exercise, conducting door-to-door surveys in panchayat areas.
Hembram reportedly fell ill Thursday due to extreme heat and had taken two days’ leave.
As per reports, he had earlier informed colleagues about pressure from authorities to continue census duties despite his illness.
He died during treatment Sunday.
Family members and local teachers’ associations expressed grief over his death. In a similar incident in Sundargarh district, Anurag Ekka, a teacher of Jarda Government High School under Gurundia block, fell ill while on Census duty Saturday.
He was first taken to the Gurundia community health centre and later shifted to the district headquarters hospital as his condition worsened.
He died during treatment the same day.
District Emergency Officer Ashwini Kumar Panda said the exact cause of death will be ascertained after the postmortem report arrive, adding that it is yet to be established whether heatstroke led to his death.
