Social boycott denies dignity to the dead

Lanjigarh: A shocking display of social boycott emerged in Kalahandi district, where a man’s body was carried to the cremation ground by three nieces after members of their community reportedly refused to assist due to social ostracisation.

The incident, which took place Wednesday morning in Lanjigarh town, has laid bare the prevalence of caste-based prejudice even in modern times. Despite advances in education and social awareness, rigid social customs continue to override basic human compassion, observers said.

Forty-two-year-old Mahendra Dalei of Pradhanipada died around 8am Wednesday after a prolonged illness from an accident-related injury six months ago. When family members, including his elder uncle Lingaraj, cousin Purna Chandra and others sought help from the community members to carry the body to the cremation ground for the final rites, none came forward for nearly eight hours. Finally, the deceased’s nieces, Pratima Dalei, 25, Manorama Dalei, 21, and Barsha Dalei, 14, stepped in and turned pallbearers, accompanied by another relative, Ramesh Chandra Dalei, 23. The four carried the body to the cremation ground, defying long-standing traditions that bar women from attending or participating in last rites. People in the area described the scene as deeply moving yet troubling, as it laid bare the enduring grip of social stigma.

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However, the Lanjigarh Paika Samaj, a local caste outfit, has rejected the allegations that social ostracisation prevented the community members from participating in the cremation. Chandradhwaj Peshnia, president of the Kalahandi Paika Samaj, said he was present at the site and that the community had not boycotted the family. “Many people were away at work in nearby industrial areas and needed time to return. We requested the family to wait, but they proceeded with the cremation. Our community has always extended respect to the dead,” Peshnia said.

He condemned those circulating videos and levelling allegations against the Paika community, calling it an attempt to malign the community’s image. The incident, regardless of conflicting claims, has reignited debate on the deep-rooted social barriers and prejudices that continue to shape life and even death in rural parts of the state.