A week after Odisha jawan’s death in Jharkhand, ailing mother too dies

Bhubaneswar: A week after the death of CRPF jawan Sushant Kumar Khuntia in Maoist attack in Jharkhand, his ailing mother Sundari Khuntia died at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Odisha’s Cuttack city today.

Sundari had received felicitation for the martyred CRPF jawan during the Independence Day celebration at Anandapur on August 15.

The woman was diagnosed with cholelithiasis and advised to undergo cholecystectomy (removal of gall stones). However, the operation date was pushed due to the unfortunate incident in the family. She was discharged from the hospital to participate in the last rites of her son.

“She had given up taking food ever since her son died in Jharkhand about a week ago. She was in a state of shock and her blood pressure was dipping gradually. Her condition became worse owing which we admitted her to Sub Divisional Hospital at Anandpur and the treating doctors referred her to SCB Medical College and Hospital,”her son’s father-in-law said.

Sundari died following a cardiac arrest at SCB, said a source.

Khuntia was killed in Maoist attack in West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand on August 11.

Khuntia’s father had died last year. One of his brothers died in cancer a few years ago while another lost his life in a mishap.

Khuntia got married on June 2 this year. His wife works as an ANM worker in Telkoi area of Keonjhar.