BALANGIR: Ostracised from the community, a woman had to cremate her father all by herself as villagers and relatives refused to extend a helping hand.
The incident took place on Thursday at Ghuna village under Gudvela block in the district.
Seventy-year-old Bali Selma, belonging to Gouda community of the village, was shunned by his community when his daughter Pramila married Sunder Majhi of the village who belonged to the Kondha caste. After marriage Pramila and Sunder were staying in Kalahandi district.
Villagers demanded Bali to organise a feast to be reinducted into his community. A helpless Bali arranged for the feast after which, he was allowed to stay back in the village.
One year after Pramila’s marriage, the couple was blessed with a baby boy but Sunder died within a few months due to illness.
After her husband’s death, Pramila returned to her father’s house following which, Bali was ostracised again. He built a thatched house in agricultural land on the outskirts of the village and stayed there with his daughter and grandson.
On Thursday morning, Bali died after a prolonged illness but no member of his community came forward to participate in the cremation.
The only help she received was from some members of another community who arranged wood for the funeral. Pramila placed her father’s body on a cot and dragged it to a spot few metres away from her house
and cremated the mortal remains. This is the second such case in the block in the last one year.