A tragic incident has emerged from Raikera village under Thikapali Panchayat, where a woman kendu leaf worker, Sumitra Bag (aged 40), died after being bitten by a scrub typhus insect during work.
Sumitra, along with her husband Santosh Bag, was employed as a seasonal kendu leaf worker at the Badabenga godown under Khariar Kendu Leaf Division.
On August 9, while working, she was bitten on the leg by what she described as a small insect. Initially dismissing it as minor, she did not seek medical attention.
However, within hours, Sumitra began experiencing severe pain in her head, limbs, and later developed a high fever. On August 11, she was admitted to Mission Hospital in Khariar. As her condition worsened, she was referred to Goodwill Hospital in Raipur, where she succumbed to the infection at around 3 AM on Tuesday night.
Doctors confirmed that her death was caused by complications from scrub typhus, a bacterial infection transmitted through bites from infected mites. The grieving family has demanded government compensation, citing their annual employment in kendu leaf bundling and the hazardous nature of the work.
This incident highlights the urgent need for health safety measures and awareness among seasonal forest workers in Odisha.
