Migrant Odisha couple ‘killed’ in Andhra brick kiln

This is the second incident within almost two weeks of migrant atrocities in the neighbouring state.
Father and relatives of Paramanand Majhi.
Father and relatives of Paramanand Majhi.

BALANGIR:  The scourge of migration continues to take its toll on people heading out of the State in search of livelihood. The latest victims are a young couple from Balangir’s Muribahal who were found dead in a hospital of Andhra Pradesh. Father of 29-year-old Parmanand Majhi alleged that his son and daughter-in-law Hemalata were beaten to death at a brick kiln in Ulinakonda of Kurnool district.

Paramanand had married 26-year-old Hemalata in September and the couple went to Andhra Pradesh a month later to work in the brick kiln. Three weeks back, Paramanand’s father Krushna Majhi received information from a middleman that his son and daughter-in-law had committed suicide. He along with Hemalata’s father went to Kurnool where they found their bodies in a local hospital. There were injury marks on the bodies while palms on both hands were found chopped. The local police took a signature from Krushna and handed him over the bodies, he told media persons here.

If loss of his son and daughter-in-law was not enough, Krushna had to face the apathy of Muribahal Police when he went to the police station to lodge a complaint a week back. He was told that since the incident happened in Kurnool, a formal FIR can be registered at the place of occurrence only. The grieving family met Balangir SP Shiva Subramani on Wednesday who immediately instructed Muribahal IIC to register a case.

Krushna said he strongly believed that Paramanand and Hemalata were beaten to death. “The local police there did not provide a copy of the FIR and post-mortem report to me. Nobody spoke to me properly there. I want justice for my son and daughter-in-law,” he said.

He has also apprised the matter to the District Labour Officer seeking an inquiry into the whole incident.
Paramanand was a certified bonded labourer. He and his wife were recruited by middlemen Karuna Majhi and Pitu who belonged to Babejuri village.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com