Dalit dies of starvation

RAIRAKHOL: A Dalit labourer Kapil Hans of Gobindpur village under Tribanpur gram panchayat of Rairakhol block reportedly died of starvation on Tuesday night.He is survived by his 60- year-old wife Chanchala and two married daughters.Sources said for the last one week, Kapil was ailing reportedly from malnutrition and starvation and was bedridden.As per reports, he owned 1.33 acres of farmland jointly with his five brothers and eked out a living by working as daily wager along with his wife.He name did not find mention in the BPL list and was consequently deprived of all welfare schemes of the government, including the old-age pension. Though he had been running from pillar to post for inclusion of his name under welfare programmes, it did not materialise.Rairakhol Sub Collector Ananta Kumar Bhuiyan said Additional Block Development Officer (ABDO) RN Chakraborty has informed him about the death and gram panchayat officials have been sent to ascertain the exact cause of the death.He promised to extend all possible government help to the bereaved family.On the other hand, ABDO Chakraborty denied that Kapil had died of starvation and said he had suffered from fever. The ABDO further said he was issued a job card under MGNREGS but never reported for work.This is the second alleged starvation death in Tribanpur gram panchayat. On July 8, Siba Naik (65) of Chubkadadar village died of starvation.