Chintaman Malhar (40), a tribal resident of Pundaria village in Mandu block of Ramgarh, had died on Wednesday. Some media reports alleged that the death was due to starvation. (Representational Image)
With another death in the state being attributed to starvation, the administration of Ramgarh district in Jharkhand, where the death occurred, has denied hunger as being the reason. Chintaman Malhar (40), a tribal resident of Pundaria village in Mandu block of Ramgarh, had died on Wednesday. Some media reports alleged that the death was due to starvation.
The district administration has said that not only did the family have food in the house and had eaten the previous night, the son of the deceased had given it in writing that it was a natural death and insisted on not having post-mortem. The officials, however, agreed that the family did not have a ration card.
Ramgarh Deputy Commissioner B Rajeshwari said: “There is nothing to indicate that it was a death due to starvation. Inquiry has revealed that the family had food the previous night. The person had worked through the day, following which he collapsed. Our officials went there and found food in the house.”
Asked about post-mortem, Rajeshwari said: “We insisted on post-mortem. However, the family insisted it was a natural death. So the post-mortem was waived. The family did not have a ration card, and the reasons are being examined.”