Kendrapara: She was once a good drama artist, even performing as a heroine and supported her poor parents well. But her life changed dramatically when she developed a mental illness two years ago. Her struggling parents, who have no money to provide her treatment, had to chain her to prevent from accidents.
The 24-year old Bajani Samal, daughter of Shiba Samal, from Baraja village under Ramnagar, used to help her poverty-stricken parents by acting in drama as a heroine. Her lone elder brother had left the family to stay at his in-law’s house in Athagada.
Unfortunately, two years ago, she suffered a mental illness and the poor family has no other option but to put an iron shackle on her legs.
“If we release the chain from her legs, Bajani would flee from the house. We fear if we free her, she would flee and would meet some accidents. We do not know whether it is a human rights violation or not. We are a poverty-stricken family and struggle to eke out a living by doing menial jobs. We don’t have other family members with us who could look after our daughter,” said Siba.
“With us being so poor, how could we get money to provide a proper treatment to her,” he asked.
The landless Siba has been staying at a half decimal land that was provided by his father-in-law. He hasn’t yet received any government aid from the district administration.
Earlier, Siba’s wife had managed to enroll her name for getting subsidised grains under the NFSA ration cards. Then, the family had also received ration under the scheme.
However, an inquiry team later denied them ration after claiming that the family possessed a four-room building when they were in fact staying at a ramshackle thatched house, villagers said.
When contacted District collector, Reghu G, said the matter had come to his notice now only. He directed the BDO of Mahakalapada to rush to the house of Siba and conduct an inquiry whether the family has been covered under some social security scheme. He also directed the BDO to take steps to ensure proper medical treatment to Bajani.
“The district administration would take steps to provide free medical treatment from OSTF (Orissa State Treatment Relief Funds) to the girl at SCB medical college and hospital, if requires,” said the collector. PNN
