Villagers in Kanjumah village under Gumikia panchayat of Daringbadi block, Kandhamala, were forced to carry the body of a deceased youth on a stretcher for 4 km due to the absence of a motorable road.
The deceased, identified as Ise Pradhan (30), had been taken to Baliguda sub-divisional health centre in critical condition and later shifted to Phulbani district headquarters hospital, where he succumbed during treatment. After his death, the family attempted to bring the body back to the village in an ambulance. However, the vehicle could not proceed beyond a certain point due to the lack of a paved road.
With no alternative, family members and villagers carried the body on a stretcher through steep terrain to reach the village. Locals said this is not an isolated case—villagers regularly walk several kilometres on foot to access healthcare, ration supplies, or transport facilities. The incident has once again exposed the daily hardships faced by residents due to poor road connectivity.
