Bereaved Mother Rejoins Covid-19 Duty Two Days After Daughter's Death In Odisha

Gauri Behera, a home guard in Odisha, set aside her personal grief and joined the duty just two days after the death of her 13-year-old daughter.

Screengrab of a video showing Gauri Behera rejoining duty two days after her daughter's death.

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On April 24, Gauri Behera, who was on duty at Pipili police station in Puri district in Odisha, received the news of her 13-year-old daughter's death. She had lost her battle against liver cancer that she was suffering from for last one year.

Behera, a home guard in Puri district rushed home to grieve and perform the last rites of her daughter. But what left her colleagues and even Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik amazed was how Behera set aside her personal grief and resumed her duty just two days after her daughter's demise.

In an appreciation post on Twitter, Chief Minister Patnaik on Saturday wrote about Behera: "She is an inspiration for others. Despite in grief over her 13-year-old daughter’s death, she did not discontinue her duty. Her sacrifice is highly praiseworthy.”

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— CMO Odisha (@CMO_Odisha) May 2, 2020

A report in Times of India said that Behera's daughter Lopamudra had been suffering from liver cancer for past one year. Behera, 43, was on lockdown duty, manning the roads while her child was at home on April 24 when the mother received a phone call about her worsening health condition around 8 pm.

“I rushed home on my bicycle. By the time I reached home, 3 km from police station, my daughter was no more. My world came crashing down,” the TOI report quoted her as saying.

Behera resumed her duties on April 26. She says she needs to warm livelihood and support her ailing parents and a mentally-challenged brother.

Puri SP Umashankar Dash appreciated Gauri’s commitment for work. “We all feel sorry for the tragedy in her life. Still, she showed her resolve and set an example for others,” the report quoted the SP as saying.

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