Odisha Man's Body Left Unclaimed After Family Refuses Last Rites; Volunteers Step In
Local police officer Anam Mahant, who assisted in coordinating the process, also participated in the cremation ceremony and lit the funeral pyre in the absence of family members.
Bhubaneswar: In a poignant incident that reflects complexities of family estrangement and religious identity, the body of a young man remained unattended for nearly 24 hours in Odisha's Keonjhar district after his family reportedly refused to perform his last rites.
The deceased, a native of Cuttack district, had allegedly severed ties with his family after marrying and subsequently converting to another faith. Following his death at Shiripur village in Keonjhar, family members reportedly declined to claim the body or participate in the funeral rituals, citing his religious conversion.
As the body remained unclaimed, concerns grew among local residents and authorities over the conduct of the final rites.
The situation was eventually resolved through the intervention of local volunteer organisation ‘Bharasa Parivar,’ whose members, with assistance from the police, took responsibility for the cremation. The body was transported to the Keonjhar Adarsha Crematorium on Sunday, where funeral rites were performed with due dignity.
Local police officer Anam Mahant, who assisted in coordinating the process, also participated in the cremation ceremony and lit the funeral pyre in the absence of family members.
Residents and social activists praised the efforts of the volunteers and police personnel for ensuring that the deceased received a respectful farewell despite the circumstances.
