A tribal man in Odisha walked nearly 10 kilometres with his daughter, carrying his wife’s body on his shoulder, after he was denied a mortuary van from a government hospital.

The incident took place in the backward district of Kalahandi when 42-year-old Amang Deis died of tuberculosis at the district headquarters hospital at Bhawanipatna on Tuesday night.

On Wednesday morning, locals found Dana Majhi carrying his wife’s body, which was wrapped in cloth. Majhi walked to his village Melghara in Rampur block which is about 60 km from Bhawanipatna.

It was not until some local reporters spotted the father-duo that they up the District Collector and arranged for an ambulance for the remaining 50 km of the journey.========

Majhi said that despite several attempts, he failed to get a vehicle from the hospital.

“I told the hospital authorities that I am a poor man and cannot afford a vehicle. Despite repeated requests, they said they cannot offer any help,” Majhi told a local television channel.

Kalahandi District Collector Brunda D said, “As we got to know of the incident, we spoke to the CDMO and arranged for an ambulance.

“I have issued instructions to the Tehsildar to provide assistance under the Harishchandra Yojana (Assistance to the poor and destitute to perform last rites). I have also asked the BDO to provide assistance from Red Cross and CMRF,” he added.

The Naveen Patnaik government had launched the Mahaparayana scheme in February, offering free transportation of bodies from government hospitals to the residences of the deceased. As per the scheme, dead body carriers are supposed to be deployed at 37 government hospitals and a total of 40 vehicles were assigned for the job.http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/odisha-tribal-man-carrying-wife-dead-body-with-daughter/1/748447.html