Post News Network
Bolangir, Dec 16: The body of Bibek Chinda (42), a bonded labourer of Umagaon under Kantamal police limits of Boudh district, who died Monday here in the district headquarters hospital, was reportedly thrown away Tuesday at a secluded place, somewhere between Bolangir and Sonepur.
Harishchandra Yojana, a government scheme meant for the cremation of bodies of the poor and destitute, has turned out to be a farce here, locals alleged. Reports said, Bibek, along with his wife and two sons, went to Hyderabad to work as bonded labourer. His wife was abducted, while two children were killed there, Bibek told police Sunday. Under stress after losing his family, he came in contact with a live wire and sustained severe burn injuries, police said, adding he was returning home in Nagabali Express.
GRP police, after finding Bibek in a critical state at Bolangir railway station, admitted him to the hospital where he died. Bibek’s brother-in-law Shukru Barik arrived at the DHH Monday evening to receive the body. Shukru, along with two other villagers, identified Bibek’s body and arranged a van to take the body from Bolangir to Umagaon.
However, they only had `1,200 with them, while the driver demanded Rs 7,000 to transport the body to the village. They apprised police about their position and urged the driver to make do with Rs 1,200 to which he disagreed. Another driver of a mortuary van said he was prepared to take the body up to Khari, a place on Sonepur Road, with that money.
Eventually, Shukru and the two villagers abandoned the body at Khari, paying the driver Rs 1,100 and returned to Bolangir. They are learnt to have informed the family of the deceased about the incident.
Several villagers raised questions about the relevance of government measures meant for the safety and rehabilitation of bonded labourers. Locals demanded a thorough probe into the incident and action against the guilty. They sought to know why government assistance was not available for the cremation of a bonded labourer’s body.