BHAWANIPATNA: Kalahandi Collector D Brundha on Tuesday said Rankanidhi Khura did not die of starvation. The administrative officials spoke to the relatives and neighbours of mentally-ill Rankanidhi after he died on March 25.
The incident was probed by Dharamgarh Sub-Collector Yedulla Vijay and Junagarh BDO Parambrahma Joshi on March 27 following a direction by the State Human Rights Commission.
Villagers said that both rice and cooked food was being provided to Chandrabati Khura alias Rukha (70) and her two mentally-challenged sons, Rankanidhi (30) and Dayanidhi (42).
The Collector said the family was being provided all help, including medicines, to both Rankanidhi and Dayanidhi. However, Rankanidhi never took his medicines on time, which deteriorated his health condition.
The Collector said she has submitted her report to the State Government and the starvation death claim made by some media reports was false.