Two villagers carried a pregnant woman for two kilometres on their shoulders through rough terrain in Odisha’s Bolangir district to reach medical help.
On May 26, 2026, around noon, 20-year-old Seema Dharua from Chacharabhata village under Ghunsar gram panchayat suffered labour pain. Her husband Rohit Dharua and neighbours carried her from the remote Koushalpada area to the nearest road, as no vehicle could reach the village due to the absence of a motorable path.
After walking two kilometres in scorching heat, they reached a point where an ambulance arrived and took Seema to Khaprakhol hospital. She delivered a baby there, but the newborn died shortly after birth. Doctors referred her to Patnagarh hospital when she developed complications. She gave birth to another baby boy, who survived for only a few hours before passing away.
The tragedy highlighted the severe lack of road connectivity and healthcare access in the tribal-dominated region. Locals said they had repeatedly requested the administration to build roads and improve water and health facilities, but no action followed.
Residents of Koushalpada continue to struggle for basic amenities.
