Man walks 10km carrying wife’s body

Risingbd Desk: In one of India`s poorest districts in Odisha, a man walked 10 km with his wife`s body on his shoulder, his weeping 12-year-old daughter by his side. He had no vehicle to take home his wife`s body from a government hospital, 60 km from his village.

Dana Majhi`s 42-year-old wife Amang Dei died of tuberculosis at the hospital in Kalahandi on Tuesday night.

"I told the hospital authorities that I am a poor man and cannot afford a vehicle. I kept requesting them but they said they could not help," Mr Majhi said to a television crew that found him.

Wrapping the stiff body in a cloth, he set out on foot for his village, along with his daughter.

In a state where medical help isn`t easy to come by, the government had launched the `Mahaparayana` scheme in February, offering to transport bodies from government hospitals free of charge.

Under the scheme, 37 government hospitals were given vehicles to carry the dead.

The TV crew reportedly called up a senior officer and arranged an ambulance for the remaining journey to Mr Majhi`s village.

Kalikesh Singh Deo, a Member of Parliament of the state`s ruling Biju Janata Dal, tweeted, "I have already asked the local minister to verify this and take appropriate action."

Kalahandi District Collector Brunda D said, "As we got to know of the incident, we arranged for an ambulance." He said he had also instructed the administration to help the family with the funeral under another government scheme.

Source: NDTV

Risingbd/Aug 25, 2016/Mukul