Bhubaneswar, 12 July (H.S.): Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday announced an ex gratia assistance of Rs 10 lakh and a government job for an eligible family member of a home guard from Kendujhar district who died under mysterious circumstances while performing security duty during the Rath Yatra in Puri.

The deceased, identified as Pradeep Kumar Mahanta, was a resident of Hundapitha village under Ghatgaon police station limits in Kendujhar district. He was among a 50-member home guard team from the district deployed in Puri for security arrangements during the annual chariot festival.

According to officials, Mahanta had returned after duty on Saturday night and was sleeping with his colleagues at Satyabhama English Medium School, where the deployed personnel were accommodated. Around midnight, he reportedly woke up suddenly and started vomiting. His colleagues noticed white froth coming from his mouth and immediately rushed him to the Sakhigopal Community Health Centre (CHC), where doctors declared him brought dead.

Expressing grief over the incident, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) stated through a post on X that Chief Minister Majhi had sanctioned Rs 10 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF) for the next of kin of the deceased.

The state government has also decided to provide employment as a home guard to an eligible member of Mahanta’s family as a support measure.

The Chief Minister conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family and prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda