Nabarangpur, Sept. 16 (UDN): Tension prevailed in Odandi village of Nabarangpur district after some residents reportedly objected to the cremation of a woman at the village cremation ground following her religious conversion.
The dispute left the woman’s body uncremated for more than 30 hours, prompting local authorities and police to intervene and initiate efforts to resolve the matter peacefully.
Argument escalates into confrontation
The deceased has been identified as 50-year-old Gagiri Gond, a resident of Odandi village under Kacharapara-3 panchayat in Raighar block.
Gagiri died at around 4 pm on Monday. She had been living with her three daughters and a son after the death of her husband, Mang Gond, a few years ago.
According to officials, Gagiri and her family had reportedly converted from their earlier religion to another faith several years ago.
Following her death, relatives and acquaintances gathered in the village and began preparations for her last rites at the local cremation ground. However, some villagers allegedly objected to the cremation there, citing her religious conversion.
The disagreement between the two sides reportedly led to a heated argument, which later escalated into a physical confrontation. The situation created tension in the village as both sides remained firm on their respective positions.
Officials step in to defuse tension
As the dispute continued, Additional Tehsildar Shivani Naik, Papadahandi SDPO Surajit Kandel and Umerkote police station IIC Jugal Sabar reached the village on Tuesday morning.
The officials held discussions with both sides and attempted to pacify the groups and find a mutually acceptable solution. However, the villagers opposing the cremation reportedly refused to allow the last rites to be conducted at the village cremation ground.
With no immediate resolution, the woman’s body remained uncremated for over 30 hours.
Police force deployed
In view of the continuing tension, police deployed one platoon of security personnel in Odandi to maintain law and order and prevent any untoward incident.
Officials continued efforts to resolve the dispute peacefully while police maintained a presence in the village to prevent further confrontation.
The situation remains under close watch as authorities work towards resolving the issue and ensuring that the last rites are conducted without further escalation.