Berhampur: A news published in an English daily with the headlines “Odisha: COVID-19 frontline worker in Kankarada village lies dead at waste yard before being cremated” has tarnished the image of Ganjam district.
However, Collector Vijay Amruta Kulange in the official twitter account Monday refuted the media report and clarified that the corona warrior had died while going to hospital for which her husband brought the body back to Kankarada village in the district.
On being informed, officials of district administration reached the spot and cremated the deceased with dignity, added Kulange.
Kulange further clarified that the SDM Berhampur and a team reached the spot immediately and collected swab sample of family members of the deceased.
According to a report in the English Daily, the body of an anganwadi supervisor of Kankarada village in Sanakhemundi block, who was engaged in COVID duty, lay at a waste dumping yard for several hours before it was taken for cremation in an ambulance Saturday.
“The daughter of the deceased, Asanta Patra (55), watched helplessly as nobody came forward to help her carry the body to the cremation site,” the report added.
Kulange also urged people to avoid rumour-mongering and have trust on the district administration.
PNN