Odisha: Son dies at father’s funeral as tree branches fall on him in Koraput

By C. B. Singh

Koraput, Dec. 6 : In a tragic incident, a youth in Odisha’s Koraput district died on Wednesday morning after a tree branch fell on him at his father’s funeral.

According to reports, Laxman Mondal, an elderly man died on Tuesday night following prolonged illness. The family members of Mondol took his body for cremation at the village burial ground.

As it was raining heavily due to the impact of cyclone ‘Michaung’ that lashed most parts of the state, the pall-bearers, including Mondol’s 22-year-old son Benudhar, took shelter under a tree, waiting for the rain to stop to start the funeral work.

All of a sudden, a big branch of a tree fell on Benudhar’s head, causing serious injuries.

The family members and others present at the burial ground immediately rushed Benudhar to the nearest Boriguma hospital where the doctors pronounced him dead.

“The weather has been bad here since last night due to the cyclone in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. We were preparing for the last rites when a tree branch fell on Benudhar’s head injuring him seriously. We brought him to Borigumma hospital where the doctors declared him dead. We all are very sad because of this,” said Baikuntha Mondal, a relative of Laxman.

As per the latest reports, the last rites of Laxman remained halted after the mishap with his son Benudhar. The family said they will cremate both after the body of Benudhar is released from the mortuary.

Report last came in said the hospital authorities handed over the body of Benudhar in the evening and the family was preparing for the funeral of the father-son.