Odisha: BDO carries man’s bier after villagers refuse to take part in funeral over Covid fear

Chhendipada: Showing his humane side, Chhendipada Block Development Officer (BDO) Sanjay Kumar Acharya lent shoulders to mortal remains of an elderly man in a village under Chhendipada block of Angul district after villagers refused to take part in the cremation.

The elderly man, Gobind Majhi aged 68 from Guhirapashi village under Chhendipada block was suffering for fever since past five days. He died at 7 PM yesterday.

When the deceased’s son Muna Majhi sought the help of the villagers to carry the mortal remains of his father to the cremation ground, they refused to be part of the funeral. Suspecting that the death might be due to Coronavirus disease, the village declined to lend shoulders to the dead body.

Following this, the elderly man’s body remained at his house as his son was unable to take the mortal remains alone for cremation. Upon receiving information about the matter, the Chhendipada BDO along with local Sarpanch Narayan Behera and Panchayat Executive Officer Abhaya Kumar Pradhan reached the deceased’s house today morning, around 16 hours of the elderly man’s death.

Wearing PPE kits, the BDO, other officials and the deceased’s son carried the mortal remains of the elderly man and cremated it at the nearby crematorium.

Locals have been in praise for the Chhendipada BDO for his act of kindness.