In an exemplary human gesture, Chhendipada Block Development Officer (BDO) Sanjay Kumar Acharya on Saturday lent his shoulders to the body of an elderly man in a village under Chhendipada block of Angul district after villagers refused to take part in the cremation.
Gobind Majhi (68) of Guhirapashi village, who was suffering from fever since past five days, died at on Friday. When his son Muna Majhi sought villagers’ help to carry the body to cremation ground, they refused to be part of funeral suspecting that death might be due to Covid-19. The old man’s body remained at house as his son was unable to take it alone for cremation.
Receiving information, the BDO along with local Sarpanch Narayan Behera and Panchayat Executive Officer Abhaya Kumar Pradhan reached deceased’s house on Saturday morning, about 16 hours after the man’s death. Wearing PPE kits, BDO, other officials and deceased’s son carried deceased’s bier and cremated the body.