Real Odisha, Tribal walks 10 km carrying wife’s body

     Bhubaneswar, Aug 24, 2016: Dana Majhi, a tribal of Kalahandi, along with his 12-year-old daughter, today walked around 10 km carrying his wife’s body on his shoulder as he failed to get a vehicle to transport it from a government hospital in the backward district in Odisha where she died.
     The 42-year-old woman Amang Dei died of tuberculosis last night at the district headquarters hospital at Bhawanipatna. And the poor tribal walked down his village after he failed to arrange a vehicle to take the body for last rite at his village Melghara in Rampur block which is about 60 km from Bhawanipatna, where his wife passed away.
     Majhi said despite his all-out efforts, he could not get any help from the hospital authorities. Thus, he wrapped his wife’s body in cloth and started walking to his village Melghara which is about 60 km from the district headquarters Bhawanipatna.

     Majhi’s daughter accompanied him till some local reporters spotted the duo. They called up the District Collector and arranged for an ambulance for the remaining 50 km of the journey.

     “I told the hospital authorities that I am a poor man and cannot afford a vehicle. Despite repeated requests, they said they cannot offer any help,” Majhi told a local television channel.

     Kalahandi District Collector Brunda D said, “As we got to know of the incident, we spoke to the Chief District medical Officer and arranged for an ambulance.

     “I have issued instructions to the Tehsildar to provide assistance under the Harishchandra Yojana (Assistance to the poor and destitute to perform last rites). I have also asked the BDO to provide assistance from Red Cross and CMRF,” she said.

     After the visual of carrying the body of his wife on shoulder was flashed on television and digital media it had created a sensation in the country. It has also exposed the apathy of the Odisha government and its administration towards the tribals and the dead bodies.