BALASORE: Tension flared up in Barbatia panchayat under Bhograi block of Balasore district after an inmate of the local temporary medical centre (TMC) died under mysterious circumstances on Wednesday.
The inmate was identified as 45-year-old Ramakanta Das of Kantabania village under the panchayat.Alleging that the inmate was murdered, irate villagers thrashed local ASHA, ANM and anganwadi workers leaving them injured.
The agitators also locked block development officer (BDO) Satyajeet Rout and in-charge of Bhograi community health centre (CHC) Dr Kamalakanta Jena in the TMC for nine hours demanding action against the people responsible for Ramakanta’s death.
Sources said Ramakanta worked in a private company in South Africa and on his arrival in the village on July 20, was lodged in the TMC. After getting up in the morning on Wednesday, other inmates were surprised to find Ramakanta’s room locked from inside. Though they knocked on the door, there was no response from him.
The inmates then informed the sarpanch about the incident following which the latter along with the nodal officer, local ASHA, ANM and anganwadi workers reached the TMC. They broke the door and found Ramakanta dead inside.
Sources said a liquor bottle was also found in the room.As the news of the death spread, the victim’s family members and locals rushed to the spot and assaulted the ASHA, ANM and anganwadi workers. When the BDO and Dr Kamalakanta reached the TMC, irate villagers locked them inside the centre. On being informed, tehsildar Rakhal Chandra Parida along with Bhograi police arrived at the TMC but were unable to pacify the agitators.
Ramakanta’s son Samaresh Das alleged that the TMC staff were responsible for the death of his father. "Since my father was wearing some gold ornaments and even had cash with him, he was murdered by the TMC staff," he claimed.
Later, a platoon of force along with police personnel of Udaypur-Talsari Marine and Kamarda police stations were brought in to control the situation. In the evening, the two officers were released by the villagers after police assured them of proper investigation into the inmate’s death.
While the Ramakanta’s body was sent for postmortem, the injured health workers were admitted to Bhograi CHC for treatment. Till reports last came in, no police complaint was filed in this regard.