Jharsuguda: Family members of sub-divisional manager (SDM) Basudev Pal of the Odisha Forest Development Corporation (OFDC) under Jharsuguda division in this district raised suspicions, after the officer collapsed inside his office room here Tuesday evening.
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The family members of Pal have alleged that he was under work pressure and mental harassment by his higher authorities.
According to the family sources, Pal collapsed while carrying out his official works and was later rushed to district headquarters hospital (DHH) Jharsuguda, where doctors declared him ‘brought dead’.
Following Pal’s death, his grief-stricken younger daughter tried to kill herself at the DHH by consuming phenyl kept for cleaning purposes.
However, Pal’s kins have blamed OFDC divisional manager (DM) Amiya Kumar Patnaik for the untoward incident. Patnaik had been allegedly subjecting him to mental harassment over the last one year.
“My father’s death is not natural. I demand a detailed investigation into the incident,” the deceased’s elder daughter Tanuja Pal said.
Notably, Patnaik has been absconding after the death of Pal.
Local police or any OFDC official remained inaccessible for any comments.
PNN