Bhadrak/Padmapur: In a heart-wrenching incident, a man hanged himself to death while his wife, who had contested for samiti member’s post, consumed poison. The tragedy struck the family after the couple was abused by the winning candidate. The winning candidate and his supporters threatened the couple and hurled slurs on them which led the husband and wife to take the drastic case. A case in this connection was registered with local police.
The incident was reported from Bada Agapur village under Padmapur panchayat of Basudevpur block in Bhadrak district.
According to sources, Sumati Parida, wife of Ramakant Parida, had contested for a samiti member’s post as an independent candidate. Since filing her nomination, she had been the target of the winning candidate and his supporters. It has been alleged that they were continuously passing lewd comments about the couple.
This eventually led to tension brewing between Sumati and Ramakant. Under mental stress, Ramakant set his household items on fire and died by suicide by hanging himself from the ceiling fan. Unable to bear the pain, Sumati consumed poison.
On being alerted, Basudevpur fire department officials reached the village and doused the flames. Sumati was rescued in critical condition and rushed to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack. However, Ramakant had breathed his last by the time other residents of the village reached the house.
The incident sparked outrage in the village. Demanding strict action against the winning candidate and his supporters, hundreds of villagers placed the body of Ramakant on Padmapur-Biras main road and staged a demonstration.
Traffic came to a standstill on Bhadrak-Dhamara road following the protest. Outrage continued in the village till filing of this report.