When locals refused to take a woman’s body to funeral ground and left it lying for hours after her death owing to her “low caste”, a man laid it on his bike and took it to the burial ground for performing the last rites. The unusual incident occurred at Kharnumda village under Attabira block in Bargarh district on Tuesday.

Bishnupriya Naik (75) died of old age ailments in her village. As per the tradition four persons are to take the body to the burial ground for cremation. But nobody came forward to participate in the act owing to caste penchant. As per information, Budhu Naik married Bishnupriya after the death of his first wife. The second marriage was solemnized 12 years back. Budhu belongs to low caste. Hence, villagers didn’t take it easy.

While Bishnupriya’s family didn’t accept her as she married to a man from lower caste, same also happened in the case of Budhu. His family also didn’t accept his marrying to a lady of other caste.

But things got more complicated when Bishnupriya died in her old age. Neither her parent’s side nor her husband’s side came forward for the funeral work. No one agreed to bring her to the village burial ground.

The old man Budhu is also at his eighties. Hence, he was also not capable enough to the do the work.

However, one youth of the village Indrajit Dora came forward for the funeral work. On the back of his bike, he laid the body to the grave and performed the last rites. Of course few other youths –Brushabhanu Sahu, Benudhar Bhue, Kalakahnu Mallick and Pinku Pradhan joined Indrajit later. Since, Bishnupriya and Budhu were spending their life in an ashram the youths buried her instead of setting her on fire as per the tradition of the ashram.

 “For me humanity is more important than caste,” said Indrajit who lamented that people have not changed much even in the 21st century. Indrajit’s work has received praises from far and wide. Some organizations are also going to felicitate him.