Balasore horror: Youth’s body remains unclaimed for over 26 hours due to superstition

In a shocking incident in Deulabar village under Jaleswar block of Balasore district, the body of a 26-year-old youth remained unattended for more than 26 hours after villagers refused to help with his cremation, citing superstitious beliefs.

According to reports, the deceased, identified as Madan Besra, was ailing for days and died on Thursday evening.

When his family sought help from fellow villagers for the last rites, no one stepped forward. The Besra family has reportedly been ostracised for over a decade after being branded practitioners of witchcraft, and neighbours had long denied them even water and fire.

Sources reported that for over a day, Madan’s mother stayed beside her son’s body in despair. Nobody was ready to shoulder it because of blind beliefs, and repeated pleas from the mother to locals went unanswered.

NGO Volunteers Step In

The stalemate ended only when members of Jaleswar-based NGO ‘May I Help You’ arrived. More than ten volunteers, including Parida and Amit Kumar Das, carried the body on their shoulders, arranged for transport on a hearse, and conducted the funeral at Jaleswar on Friday, informed sources.

In unfortunate scenarios, reports said the family had faced social boycott and were ostracised for years, with neighbours cutting them off from basic needs and refusing all interaction. Villagers alleged witchcraft, while rights activists condemned the discrimination as inhumane and unlawful.

"Casteism and superstition are still prevalent in this village. It hurts a lot to note that in an era of such advancements, these practices continue to haunt the state. The Chief Minister of Odisha, as well as the President of India, are both from tribal regions, and yet people have not come out of archaic mindsets."

Even as the incident sparked outrage, the local administration has not yet commented on the matter. Observers say the silence raises questions about the effectiveness of official campaigns against superstition and untouchability.