Bhubaneswar: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has launched a scathing attack on the BJP Government in Odisha, expressing deep concern over the tragic death of Shankar Maharana, a young man from Aitapur village in Ganjam district, allegedly due to the “utter mismanagement” and “gross criminal negligence” of the 108 ambulance service.
A high-level BJD delegation, led by former Union Minister Shri Chandra Sekhar Sahu, met the bereaved family, assuring them of support and demanding immediate government intervention.
The incident, which occurred on Thursday, highlights critical failures in the state’s emergency healthcare system. Shankar Maharana collapsed after being struck by a cricket ball. Despite immediate calls for a 108 ambulance, the delay forced his family to transport him to Balugaon Medical themselves. His condition worsened, leading to a referral to MKCG Medical College and Hospital, Berhampur.
However, the 108 ambulance en route to Berhampur notoriously broke down near Khallikote. For over three agonizing hours, Shankar lay suffering on the Khallikote National Highway as repeated calls to other ambulances and the police went unanswered.
He was eventually transported to MKCG Medical by another passing ambulance, but doctors declared him dead on arrival, stating his life could have been saved with timely medical attention.
Villagers and the distraught family members conveyed to the BJD delegation that a “precious life was lost due to the criminal negligence of the government.”
They drew a stark contrast with the previous administration, noting that under the leadership of Naveen Patnaik, 108 ambulances reportedly reached patients within 20 minutes of a call. In contrast, under the current BJP government, “even after 3 hours of repeated calls, no ambulance could reach the patient, resulting in the loss of a valuable life.”
This incident fuels the BJD’s narrative that the “Double Engine” promise of the BJP has become a “Double Disaster” for essential services like healthcare.
Further exacerbating the family’s plight, they received no government assistance to transport Shankar’s body back from MKCG to their village, forcing them to spend ₹5,000 from their own meager resources.
The BJD delegation pointed out that no government official had visited the family for three days until news of the BJD’s visit spread, prompting a hurried announcement of ₹4 lakh financial assistance late last night.
Considering the extreme poverty of Shankar Maharana’s family, the BJD delegation has vehemently demanded that the government immediately provide a government job to his brother as a measure of long-term support and accountability.
The BJD delegation included prominent leaders such as former MLA Shri Ramesh Chandra Chyau Patnaik, Shri Bikram Panda, Shri Subash Behera, Smt. Manjula Swain, Smt. Suryamani Baidya, Smt. Ranjita Sahu, Berhampur Mayor Smt. Sanghamitra Dalei, Shri Subash Maharana, Former Zilla Parishad Chairperson Smt. Sonam Palei, Former NAC Chairperson Shri Ram Mohan Panda, Shri Bhabanikanta Sahu, Shri Prafulla Sahu, Shri Ratnakar Sahu, Shri Dayanidhi Sahu, and local Sarpanch Smt. Twinkle Tarai, among others.
This incident is likely to intensify the political battle between the BJD and the BJP in Odisha, with the BJD leveraging public sentiment over the perceived decline in healthcare services under the BJP Government.