Gajapati ADM laid to rest with State honours

Gajapati ADM Karunakar Raika, the first bureaucrat of the State to succumb to Covid-19, was accorded a State funeral on Wednesday.

BERHAMPUR: Gajapati ADM Karunakar Raika, the first bureaucrat of the State to succumb to Covid-19, was accorded a State funeral on Wednesday.The body of the officer was laid to rest at the burial ground at Bijipur after a guard of honour. Raika’s family along with Collectors of Ganjam and Gajapati were among those present.  

The 52-year-old bureaucrat, was in-charge of the Gajapati Covid-19 hospital and other Covid care centres in the district. He had served at different posts in the district and recently joined as ADM. He was known for his sincerity and dedication to work.He is stated to have contracted the virus on line of duty as he was relentless in ensuring proper management of Covid centres and provisioning of services to the affected people. He had developed flu-like symptoms last week and underwent antigen and Trunat tests, both of which came negative. He had isolated himself at the Paralakhemundi circuit house where his condition deteriorated on Monday evening.

He was shifted to MKCGMCH but succumbed. Following Raika’s death, his swab sample was again collected for test and the report was found to be positive. Meanwhile, the bureaucrat’s death has sparked resentment among locals, who are questioning why he was not provided proper treatment.

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