Domestic death in K'pong: Child's parents cry foul

Gulshan Oraon and Glory Oraon (Parents of the deceased child)

NISHA CHETTRI, SNS, KALIMPONG, 12 FEBRUARY 2019: A tribal couple whose child died under mysterious circumstances in the Kalimpong District Hospital on 28 January has claimed that the little girl died an unnatural death.

Gulshan Oraon and Glory Oraon, the child's parents today visited the Kalimpong Police Station and said that the Pradhan family, (with whom the child stayed as a domestic) had threatened them and asked them to hush up the matter.

Mr Oraon said they were debarred from visiting the hospital when they tried to take the body of the child earlier, and they were asked to meet the funeral procession near the crematorium.

"They asked us not to talk about the matter with anybody, else we would also land in trouble. I don't know what trouble, but we were afraid," he said.

It may be recalled that the child had been living at DN Pradhan's residence at Chandraloke for almost a year. She mysteriously fell sick and was rushed to the hospital. However, when NGO later inquired about the matter, Shrandhanjali Pradhan, DN Pradhan's daughter, hid the truth and said that the child was at Sikkim, attending a wedding.

"The child was tormented," said Mr Oraon, adding that they telephoned her, but that the phone was always "handled" by the Pradhans.

"At the cremation centre, when they removed the cloths that wrapped our child, we saw nail scratch marks on her face and a burn injury on her hand,- Mr Oraon added.

"Her face was covered with turmeric, but when we wiped it, we saw the nail scratches. There is no ritual that asks for turmeric application on the face. We learnt that our child was taken to the hospital in a critical condition," he said. Officials say the case has become complicated after the district hospital issued a certificate of 'natural death,' while the body was cremated without first conducting a post-mortem.

The neighbours, meanwhile, said they have not seen Shrandhanjali ever since the child was cremated.

Police meanwhile said the couple today changed their statement "They have changed their statement. They told us a different story earlier, and they speak against the Pradhans today. We are examining the matter. If something wrong is found, we will take necessary action," a police source said.

The Oraons, however, said they made earlier statements under duress and fear.