Angul, Dec 4: A disturbing case of social discrimination has emerged from Ramapur village under Thakurgarh police station limits in Mai Mura Panchayat, Angul district.

A man who passed away at his residence after a prolonged battle with kidney disease was left unattended for several hours.

On Tuesday morning, Pandei Bhoi, a resident of the village, passed away at his home after prolonged illness related to kidney disease. However, the body remained unattended for more than 30 hours as locals refused to shoulder his bier. The reason cited was his marriage, three decades ago, to Rani Nayak, a woman from another caste.

Reports suggest that since his inter-caste marriage, Bhoi had been ostracized by his community. He and his wife, who had no children, lived in isolation and were excluded from all social functions.


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Following his death, neighbours only came to see the body but refrained from participating in the funeral rites. Eventually, Thakurgarh police and Mai Mura Panchayat officials intervened, arranging for the cremation.

The incident has sparked outrage, highlighting the persistence of caste-based discrimination and social exclusion in parts of rural Odisha.