Odisha SRC orders probe into alleged starvation death in Jajpur

Odisha Sun Times Bureau

Bhubaneswar, Aug 9:

Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) P K Mohapatra today ordered collector Anil Kumar Samal of Odisha’s Jajpur district o conduct an inquiry into the alleged starvation death of an elderly woman in the district.

PK Mohapatra, SRC, Odisha
PK Mohapatra, SRC, Odisha

“The collector has been asked to conduct an inquiry into the alleged starvation death in Mirzapur panchayat under Dharmashala block of Jajpur district,” the SRC said today. He said according to the provisions of the new relief code, sarpanch of the concerned panchayat is responsible for ensuring that no one dies of starvation. The collector will be visiting the village and inquire into the circumstances that led to the death of the woman.

Menki Bewa (69), widow of late Sambhu Mohanty of Phulpur village in Mirzapur panchayat under Dharmashala block in Jajpur district, allegedly died on Friday after starving for four days. She was among the scores of people marooned after flood waters of river Genguti, a distributary of river Birupa, encircled Phulpur village. Three feet high flood waters filled Menki’s house forcing her, along with her daily wager son Bhikari Mohanty and other family members, to sit atop a rack to take shelter.

Menki died after starving for four days living under such circumstances surrounded by flood waters, said Mirzapur sarpanch Sangram Keshari Jena on Friday.

Jena had said flattened rice and jaggery had not reached the village till Friday. He claimed he had contacted the ABDO in the matter. The latter said that dry food had not reached and had queried as to where he was going to provide it from, the sarpanch said.

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