Sunita Raita suicide: Odisha govt suspends Gajapati PA, ITDA

Odisha Sun Times Bureau

Parlakhemundi, Aug 29:

The Odisha government has suspended Kalyan Kumar Rath, Project Administrator (PA) Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) Gajapati, who had been named in the suicide note of Suinta Raita, the tribal nursing student from Diptinagar in R Udayagiri block, who committed suicide on August 13 after failing to get the stipend due to her for 16 months.

Suinta Raita
Suinta Raita

The move to suspend the PA, ITDA comes barely a day after the government had shunted him out as sub collector of Baripada and is believed to have been prompted by the ongoing agitation by the Gajapati chapter of the Adivasi Mahasangh, which has been demanding his arrest in the case.

On August 17, the government had transferred Gajapati district collector Basudev Bahinipati, who was also named in the suicide note written by Sunita, and had replaced him with Manasi Nimbhal.

The dharna by members of the Adivasi Mahasangh in front of the collector’s office here protesting against government inaction against guilty officials in the matter entered its third day on Thursday.

The Mahasangh has called for a Gajapati shutdown on September 1.

It may be noted that Sunita, in her suicide note, had squarely blamed the district collector and the PA of the ITDA Gajapati for her death while making it clear that failure to get her stipend money was the reason behind her suicide.

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2 Comments
  1. JAYANTA KUMAR DAS (RTI ACTIVIST). says

    Suspension is not a punishment, government should dismiss them from service and register criminal case against these erring public servants because of whom one young girl died.

    JAYANTA KUMAR DAS (RTI ACTIVIST), 9861770749(M)

    1. Baliar Gamang says

      Mr JAYANTA KUMAR DAS before commenting, please see the development done by Collector & ITDA PA in Gajapati. Please see the development in last 3years in the area & amount of work done by them.
      I stayed in this place for years and I would say they have done a great deal for Gajapati. Please go in details before commenting.

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