Raisuan: In a bizarre incident, body of an ostracised man was left to rot in open for two days as no locals came forward to help in the final rites, reports said.
Sources said, the deceased was socially boycotted by the villagers as he had allegedly converted from Hindu to Christian along with his family members.
The body lay in the open field infested by insects and wild animals until the intervention of the police. Later, with the help of police, kin of the deceased man performed the final rites Sunday, reports said.
The heinous incident was reported from tribal-dominated Ranthamara village of Mahadei Joda panchayat under Sadar block in Keonjhar district. The deceased has been identified as Parshuram Haibru (40).
According to sources, Haibru lived with his family in a thatched hut in the village corridor. After being convinced of Christianity by some missionaries, Haibru and his family members had converted to Christian a few months back, to outrageous oppose by fellow villagers.
The family often held prayers inside their house. This did not go well with some youths of the village who strayed into the house and attacked Haibru.
With critical injuries, family members rescued him and rushed him to a local hospital. After preliminary treatment, he was shifted to Keonjhar district headquarters hospital. When his condition further deteriorated, he had been shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.
After improvement in his health, Haibru was discharged from SCB only to be admitted to Keonjhar DHH after his condition worsened again. Later, Haibru died while undergoing treatment Thursday.
After autopsy, family members brought the body to the village to perform the final rites. However, tension ensued as fellow villagers opposed the final rites when the family members were making preparations for last rites at the village cremation ground.
Angry villagers drove away the family members with the body and threatened with dire consequences. The family members couldn’t perform the last rites for two days and sought the intervention of the local police.
The cremation was carried out after the intervention of the police and a case was registered against the youths who had attacked Haibru and a probe was launched.
PNN
