Tumudibandh: In a heart-wrenching incident, a man was forced to carry the body of his six-year-old son along with his brother for 14 km after they were forcibly dropped halfway to his village near a dense forest by an ambulance driver at 2 am Sunday, reports said.
The incident was reported from Belghar Jhiripani panchayat under this block in Kandhamal district. The deceased was identified as Gopal Majhi, son of Budu Majhi of Surangbaru village under this block.
According to sources, Gopal had been suffering from high fever and vomiting since Friday night. Family members admitted him to Belgarh Primary Health Centre (PHC) as there was no improvement in his health condition. He was then shifted to Tumudibandh Community Health Centre (CHC) as his condition kept deteriorating.
Family members had to shift the boy again to Baliguda Sub-Divisional Hospital after his condition turned critical Sunday night. However, he succumbed to his ailment while undergoing treatment late night.
With no Mahaprayan service in Baliguda Sub-Divisional Hospital to take the body to their village, Budu was forced to hire an ambulance at around midnight.
Shockingly, the ambulance driver took them to Belgarh and left them on the main road near a dense forest. Without giving any explanation, he turned back, leaving behind Budu and his brother who had to carry the body at 2 am.
Initially, the two brothers had waited for a vehicle to pass by that way for two hours to get a lift. But there was no luck. Left with no option, they trekked 14 km from 4 am to their village and reached home at 10 in the morning and then performed the last rites.
“The ambulance driver threatened us to get down the vehicle over unknown reasons. We pleaded with him and offered as much money as he wanted but he dropped us near a dense forest and fled,” Budu said.
When contacted, the sub-divisional officer said that the ambulances were not under their control and were under the sub-collector’s control. PNN
