KENDRAPARA: A 26-year-old dalit man reportedly hanged himself in the Kendrapara collector’s office on Friday after being unable to sell his land to buyers from the general category.
The deceased was identified as Srichandan Mallick of Raitundi village under Nikirei police limits. Police sources said Srichandan hanged himself from the iron railings of the collector’s office with a towel at around 1 pm. Due to morning office, a handful of people were present at the collectorate when the youth took the extreme step.
Family members alleged that Srichandan was facing mental harassment at the hands of revenue officials. Since the last six months, the youth had been reportedly running from pillar to post to get permission from the revenue office to sell his land to buyers from the general category.
Under section 22 of the Orissa Land Reforms (OLR) Act, 1960, a Scheduled Caste (SC) person cannot sell or transfer land to a general category person without prior written permission from a revenue officer.
Dalit activist and former Zilla Parishad chairperson Gita Sethi claimed Srichandan was forced to end his life due to frustration over inordinate delay by revenue officers to grant him permission to transfer his property.
Kendrapara IIC Suvendu Sahoo said after receiving information, police rushed to the spot and sent the deceased’s body to the district headquarters hospital for autopsy. “No suicide note was found at the spot. An investigation is underway to find out what prompted the youth to take the extreme step,” he said.
Kendrapara collector Raghuram R Iyer said, “The district administration has launched an investigation into the tragic incident. We will take strict action against any official found guilty of wrongdoing and harassing the youth.”
Sources said it is being alleged that cases related to land records are moving at a snail’s pace in the offices of the collector, sub-collector and revenue officers in Kendrapara.
(Assistance for those having suicidal thoughts is available on helpline 104 or Tele MANAS 14416)
