The bodies of seven members of a family from Bhubaneswar who died after being swept away in a rain-swollen stream in Madhya Pradesh reached Odisha late Sunday night. Their last rites were later performed at Puri Swargadwar.
The family members, residents of the Atmaram slum near Jayadev Vihar in Bhubaneswar, were swept away in a swollen stream near the Maa Baglamukhi Temple in Nalkheda in Madhya Pradesh’s Agar-Malwa district.
Bodies brought to Bhubaneswar
According to reports, the bodies reached Bhubaneswar at around 1:30 am. Four senior officials of the Agar-Malwa Revenue Department, accompanied by a police team, brought the bodies to Odisha in three ambulances.
News of the arrival quickly spread through the area, prompting a large gathering near the family’s residence and Jayadev Vihar Square.
Relatives had also prepared seven funeral pyres near the family’s home ahead of the arrival of the bodies.
Emotional scenes at Jayadev Vihar
The atmosphere turned emotional when the bodies of Banamali Behera’s son Siba Prasad Behera, daughters Radharani and Ritarani, son-in-law Gyanendra, two grandsons and a granddaughter reached the locality.
The arrival of the bodies triggered an outpouring of grief, with residents and relatives gathering in large numbers.
Police personnel faced difficulty managing the crowd as emotions ran high. The Police Commissioner and other senior officers also reached the spot and helped manage the situation.
Last rites performed at Puri Swargadwar
Following the final viewing at Jayadev Vihar, the bodies were taken to the family’s ancestral home in Gadakana in three hearse vans.
Relatives and villagers gathered there to pay their last respects before the bodies were taken to Puri.
The last rites of all seven family members were subsequently performed at Puri Swargadwar, bringing a tragic end to the family’s journey home after the Madhya Pradesh incident.
