BERHAMPUR: In an unusual incident in Dharakote block of Ganjam district, the cremation of a deceased migrant worker, Balaram Das (43), was delayed on Wednesday due to a dispute between two women who claimed to be his mothers. Balaram, a migrant labourer from Ganjam, passed away due to cardiac arrest at his workplace in Chennai last Sunday.
Sources said the delay occurred when the company, in accordance with Balaram’s Aadhaar card, sent his body to Talapatana village, leading to protests from another family. Although Balaram hailed from Sheragada, he had been adopted by his aunt in Talapatana around 15 years ago. Despite residing with his adopted mother and marrying a girl of his aunt’s choice, a dispute arose upon the arrival of Balaram’s body.
His aunt, wife, and others were preparing to take the body to the crematorium in Talapatana, but Balaram’s biological mother and other family members insisted on cremating him in Sheragada. The disagreement caused a delay in the cremation, creating tension.
Dharakote police intervened to resolve the matter, attempting to convince both families to reach a consensus. However, as no agreement was reached, the police consulted elders in the village and decided to cremate the body at a third location. Subsequently, the body was taken to the bank of the Rushikulya river confluence for cremation.