Nepalese community in Jharsuguda raises funds to send youth’s body home

Jharsuguda: The Nepalese community here on Monday pooled funds to transport the body of a 20-year-old youth who died on Sunday during practice for the Gorkha sepoy recruitment drive at reserve police ground.Gobinda Kumal, a resident of Nepal’s Baglung district, had come to Jharsuguda to participate in the Odisha Special Armed Police (OSAP) recruitment drive for Gorkha sepoys. But during running practice, he collapsed supposedly due to a heart attack, and was later declared dead.Gobinda’s 58-year-old father Durga Bhadur, who delivers gas cylinders in Delhi, reached Jharsuguda after being informed of the tragedy. Sources said the family, under severe financial stress, was unable to bear the estimated Rs 1 lakh required to transport the body back to Nepal.Moved by the family’s plight, members of the Nepalese community residing in Jharsuguda OMP stepped forward to raise funds. Contributions ranged from Rs 500 to Rs 1,500 as people offered support.“This is an unfortunate loss. The community felt it was our responsibility to support the family in this hour of grief,” said one of the contributors of Seva Sahayog Social, an organisation formed by Nepalese and local residents.Jiwan Prakash Shrestha, president of OSAP 2nd Battalion Havildar & Sipahi Association, said their main responsibility was to ensure the safe transportation of the youth’s body to Nepal.“We had spoken to his father, who works in Delhi. He reached Jharsuguda on Monday morning. After learning about the expenses to transport the body back to Nepal, and realizing that the family was financially unable to bear the cost, we appealed to our Gorkha samaj members of Seva Sahayog, and others for contributions. We managed to collect around Rs 50,000, which was paid as an advance to the ambulance carrying the body. The remaining amount will also be collected as donations are still coming in and will be paid into the account of the deceased’s father,” Jiwan Prakash said.Shriprasad Tamang, Commandant of OSAP 2nd Battalion, said, “We have sent a sepoy along with them to ensure the deceased youth’s body is safely taken to his native place in Nepal.”