Parents of a girl, who died in Tiruppur district in Tamil Nadu where she was working as a migrant labourer, have pawned whatever gold ornaments they had to get back her body. This pathetic picture of migration has emerged from Pipalguda village under Sadar block of Rayagada district.
According to the deceased’s family members, Laxmi, 29, had migrated to Tamil Nadu in search of work in November last year. She somehow managed to get a job at a private company in Tiruppur district. Her family members had also fixed her marriage to be solemnized next year.
Due to some yet to be ascertained reasons, she had suffered burn injuries on January 25. She was admitted to a private hospital there. However, she succumbed to her injuries while undergoing treatment on February 5.
The deceased’s family members had pleaded with the company authorities under whom she was working to send the body back to Pipalguda village.
However, finding the company authorities being indifferent to their pleas, the parents had no other option left but to pawn their few gold ornaments, probably they had bought for their daughter’s marriage, to get back her body.
After arranging Rs 30,000 by pawning the ornaments, they had sent the money to some contact persons in Tamil Nadu so that their daughter’s body could be sent back to Pipalguda village.
Meanwhile, this turn of event has sparked off tension and resentment in the locality. “By not making arrangements to send back her body to our village, the company has cheated us. We urge the district administration to give us justice,” a relative of the deceased said.
Expressing his concern, State president of Odisha Building and Other Construction Workers’ Association, Arun Kumar Lenka said the company where the woman was working had shown little sympathy with the bereaved family, let alone helping it financially or making arrangements to send the body.
“Even the district administration didn't come forward to help the poor family. Left with no choice, the aggrieved parents had to pawn their gold ornaments to arrange money to get back their daughter’s body," said Lenka.