Villagers refuse last rites of 80-year-old woman, admn steps in

Rourkela: An 80-year-old woman in Sundargarh’s Bonai block died on Wednesday after being socially ostracised for 12 years, with villagers allegedly refusing to even participate in her cremation. The administration stepped in to perform the last rites.

Suni Mundari (80) and her daughter, Prabhati Mundari (45), of Mahuldiha under Mahulpada police station limits, had been boycotted by their community since 2013 after Prabhati allegedly eloped with a man from another caste. Though she returned home a few months later, the community reportedly imposed a penalty — including a goat, rice and cash — to revoke the boycott. Unable to pay, the mother-daughter duo continued to face social exclusion.

Prabhati, who lived in a hut with her ailing mother, had been caring for Suni alone. With no support from villagers due to the ostracism, the elderly woman’s condition deteriorated over the years, eventually leaving her bedridden.

The case came to light recently after some locals informed Bonai sub-collector Ashok Kumar Das about the pair’s plight. Acting on his directions, tahsildar Sambit Dash visited the village on Tuesday to probe the allegations.

On Wednesday, during the inquiry, officials found that Suni had died at home. Villagers allegedly stayed away from the funeral due to the social boycott, prompting the administration to arrange the cremation in the presence of her daughter.

“Tahsildar teams visited the village and confirmed that the woman and her daughter had been socially boycotted. After her death, the administration ensured her cremation,” Dash said, adding that a detailed report is being prepared.

He said community leaders would be summoned and warned against such practices. “After the inquiry report, we will also inform the police about this inhuman act,” Dash added.