Starvation' claims three lives in Jehanabad

JEHANABAD: Acute drought condition prevailing in Jehanabad has reportedly taking its toll particularly in areas lying in the vicinity of the Barabar hills.
Three persons, two of them from Dalit communities and one from extremely backward caste (EBC), are suspected to have died of hunger during the past three days. The deceased have been identified as Kunti Devi (40), Charittar Dom (45) and Janardan Mahto.All were residents of Rattubigha Tola under Ghosi block.
Jehanabad SDM Ramesh Kumar Sharma, however, denied any starvation death at the tola. He claimed that the three persons had died due to illness.
"There is absolutely no question of their dying due to starvation as we have allotted a quintal of foodgrains to every panchayat in the district specifically to meet such emergencies,"
Sharma, however, said the Ghosi BDO had been directed to probe into the deaths and submit a detailed report at the earliest.
Speaking to a team of visiting newsmen, most residents of the tola, mostly landless labourers, said two of the victims had hardly anything to eat while the third victim, Janardan Mahto, could have died due to extreme anaemia caused by hunger.
Mahendra Paswan, husband of the deceased Kunti Devi, said majority of people living at Rattubigha tola have had nothing to eat as the government agencies failed to provide any jobs to them.
Gunjari Devi, wife of another deceased Charittar Dom, claimed, "We have not been provided free wheat and rice for the past several months."
The residents of the tola also said over a dozen people, including children, were laid up with various ailments mainly caused by malnourishment.