Thuamul Rampur: The death of a migrant labourer from Kalahandi’s Thuamul Rampur block has once again highlighted the risks faced by workers who migrate in search of livelihood. Shiba Majhi (35) of Bhatifas village under Padepadar panchayat died while working in Hyderabad, leaving behind his wife, elderly mother and paralysed father-in-law, all of whom depended on him for survival.
According to reports, Shiba had been living with his wife, Rashmi (30), at his in-laws’ house in Khamarpadar. To support his family, he had been working as a labourer at a company in Hyderabad for nearly a year.
On the day of his death, Shiba spoke with his wife and family members over the phone in the morning. However, around 11 pm, fellow workers informed Rashmi that he had died suddenly. Receiving the news just hours after speaking to him came as a devastating shock. The exact cause of death is yet to be ascertained.
The company where Shiba worked sent his body to the village in a private ambulance, which arrived around 3 am Wednesday. His last rites were later performed at the village cremation ground.
The childless couple’s tragedy has left two families helpless. Shiba’s family reportedly owns no land, has no ration card, and it is even claimed that he did not possess an Aadhaar card. His elderly mother, Yamuna Majhi, has not received any social security pension, while his paralysed father-in-law has also been deprived of government assistance.
With the death of the sole breadwinner, Rashmi now bears the responsibility of caring for her elderly mother-in-law and ailing father. Shiba’s untimely death has once again drawn attention to the poverty and livelihood crisis in the remote region.
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