Odisha tribal walks 10 km carrying wife’s body

Dana Majhi said his repeated requests to the hospital for transport yielded no result

A tribal man, along with his 12-year-old daughter, walked for 10 km carrying his wife’s body on his shoulders on Wednesday for want of transport from a government hospital in the district of Kalahandi where she died.

Dana Majhi’s 42-year-old wife, Amang Dei, had died of tuberculosis on Tuesday night at the district headquarters hospital at Bhawanipatna.

The Naveen Patnaik government had launched the ‘Mahaparayana’ scheme in February, offering free transportation of bodies from government hospitals to the residences of the deceased.

Mr. Majhi, however, said that despite all efforts, he could not get any help from the hospital authorities.

Wrapped in cloth He wrapped his wife’s body in cloth and started walking to his village, Melghara in Rampur block, about 60 km from Bhawanipatna.

Mr. 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 remainder 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,” Mr. Majhi told a local television channel.

Kalahandi District Collector Brunda D. said, “When we got to know of the incident, we spoke to the CDMO 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,” he said.

As per the ‘Mahaparayana’ scheme, helpers are supposed to be deployed at 37 government hospitals and 40 vehicles allotted for the purpose.