The Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) on Wednesday sought reports from the Inspector General of Police (Railways) and the Puri district Collector on the incidence of a woman tourist transporting her husband’s body on a trolley rickshaw for cremation in the holy town. OHRC Acting Chairperson BK Mishra took suo motu cognisance of the matter and sought reports from the two authorities within four weeks.
Reports said a group of 60 tourists, including Durni Bandewada (55) from Sindhuwada district of Madhya Pradesh, were on a visit to Puri where he suddenly developed pain in his stomach and died at the District Headquarters Hospital at Puri on Monday.
Though his family members inquired from the attending doctor if there was any facility available for carrying the body to the Swargadwar cremation ground, they could not get it. Finally, they hired a trolley rickshaw to take the body for cremation on Tuesday.
However, the Puri district administration suddenly intervened and arranged an ambulance to transport the body. The victim’s wife alleged that the family’s request to government railway police for help was also turned down, the reports said.