Belpada: A body was left to rot for 15 hours after fellow villagers refused to provide wood for performing the last rites as he was married to a girl of another caste. Later, wife of the deceased and his father, with the help of mediapersons, were forced to bury the body without performing last rites.
The pathetic incident was reported from Malpada village under this block in Bolangir district.
According to sources, Sada Majhi’s son Miniketan Majhi (32) had a love marriage with Uma Bag four years ago against their caste. Majhi belonged to ST caste while Bhama was an OBC that angered the villagers.
Irate villagers boycotted Miniketan’s family, imposed a fine and demanded a community party. However, hailing from a poor background, both Sada and his son failed to meet the demands of the villagers. Since then, the family was ostracised and was not allowed for social functions in the village.
Meanwhile, Miniketan was diagnosed for blood cancer. All money was spent on his treatment, leaving the family members to survive with ration available under NFSA Act. After battling with the disease for years, Miniketan died last Thursday.
Sada approached the villagers, pleading them to join him perform the last rites. However, the villagers stayed stern on their demands for penalty and community party and did not turn up at the deceased’s house, leaving behind the body to rot for 15 hours.
On learning about the incident, mediapersons reached the village and tried to make the villagers realise, but in vain. The villagers did not even allow the family members to take wood to burn the body.
Left with no option, Miniketan’s wife and father, with the help of the mediapersons carried the body on a cot and took it to the local graveyard where they buried it. On the other hand, the village sarpanch was not seen even after 20 hours while the family was not given any compensation under Harischandra Yojana. Miniketan’s wife is now left with a two-year-old girl with no one to take care. PNN
