Niranjan Singh (35) of Samgudia village under Kendrapada Sadar police station, who had on Tuesday made an attempt of self-immolation in front of the district Collector’s office, died at the SCB Medical College Hospital, Cuttack on Saturday.
His family members along with the some locals staged a dharana by keeping the body in front of the district collectorate, demanding a compensation of Rs 20 lakh, job to the deceased’s widow, or to his eldest daughter besides free education of his children. According to Khyanaprava Singh, the eldest daughter of deceased Niranjan, as her father was a daily wager, so they were struggling to eke out their livelihood. Her dream of higher studies was shattered after Plus II due to abject poverty, she said.
How would we survive after the demise of our fatherIJ like me, my 12-year- old sister and 8-year- old brother would have to stop their studies, she lamented. Notably, Niranjan’s mother was a traditional dhai. After her death, Niranjan had been assured of by the administration that his wife would be appointed as ASHA. But later, it never materialized. Protesting the apathy of the administration, Niranjan had set him on fire in front of the Kendrapada Collectorate. ADM Dhananjaya Swain stated that Rs 10,000 was provided to the wife of the deceased from the district Red Cross for organizing the last rites. He, on behalf of district administration, also arranged the Mahaprayan vehicle for bringing the body to the native village of the deceased from Cuttack. Till the report was filed, the agitation was going on. ADM Swain, Sub Collector Kanhu Charan Dhir, SDPO Kedaranth Sahu, among others, were trying to pacify the agitators.