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Keonjhar

School headmaster suspended over moral turpitude

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Keonjhar, Nov 16 (LocalWire) The headmaster of a government-run residential school in Keonjhar district was today placed under suspension for allegedly perpetrating acts of moral turpitude.

Ganeswar Patra, headmaster of the residential upper primary school at Belada in Joda block was suspended after the girl students levelled serious allegations of misbehaviour against him.

Over a dozen inmates had fled the school hostel to register protest against Patra, Kapileswar Mishra, District Education Officer, Keonjhar told the LocalWire.

The department maintains zero-tolerance towards such acts which lower the dignity of a noble profession like teaching, Mishra added.

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Elderly couple’s bodies recovered from forest

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Keonjhar, Nov 14 (LocalWire): Keonjhar police recovered the bodies of an elderly couple from a trench near Kasia forest under Jhumpura Police Station today afternoon, about 45 kms from here.

Police sent the bodies of 62-year-old Budhadeb Mohakud and his wife Malati Mohakud for post mortem. After received written complaint from Kartika Mohakud, son of the elderly couple went to the spot.

Some villagers saw the bodies when they went to graze goats. The miscreants had buried the bodies in a trench dug by the forest department for water harvesting and covered them with soil. Family members identified them.

Sub Divisional Police Officer, Champua Harihara Pani along with IIC Jhumpura rushed to the spot. Police suspect land dispute is behind the murder and investigating the incident.

Police are yet to arrest anyone in this connection.

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Good Samaritan travels 250 kms to donate blood

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Keonjhar, Nov 6 (LocalWire): A 22-year-old student from Physical Training Centre, Bhubaneswar came to Keonjhar on Tuesday to donate blood to a five-year-old Thalassemia patient.

‘I have donated blood to eight patients in different hospitals till date. After receiving a phone call I came here to donate blood to the little boy,’ said Subhashish Pradhan.

Babusen Mohanta of Ghatagaon is suffering from Thalassemia since his birth. He needs regular blood and visit the district headquarter hospital to survive.

On Sunday when the child had to visit the hospital for blood transfusion, his parents could not arrange blood from anywhere. The news reached Subhashish who readily agreed to go 250 kms to Keonjhar and donate O positive blood.

Magan Mallick, a volunteer said, ‘due to shortage of blood, many patients are facing difficulties. They are forced to buy blood from outside but that too, is unavailable during an emergency. The health department should take steps to ensure that the needy patients get blood.’

There have been instances when due to shortage of blood, the medical administration allegedly referred patients to other hospitals for treatment.

CDMO, Keonjhar district, Dr Ashok Kumar Das said, ‘due to lack of blood collection problem of blood shortage arises. We are trying to organise more blood camps to collect and store blood.’

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World’s tallest Keonjhar Chariot standing in neglect

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Keonjhar, November 5 (LocalWire): The world’s tallest chariot, here, presents a picture of abject neglect and is crying for preservation and protection.

The Keonjhar Chariot, recognised as the tallest chariot in the world by the Global Records and Research Foundation (GRRF) in December 2018, is 72 feet high; taller than any other chariot, including the that of Lord Sri Jagannath temple of Puri.

“The chariot has been left abandoned near Lord Baladevjew temple at an open space. Due to lack of protection and preservation the record holder chariot is gradually losing its beauty and suffering damages in the rain, summer heat and winter fog,” a devotee and senior advocate from old town Keonjhar Nimai Charan Das said.

According to sources, everyday people from different areas and also the surrounding tribal and hilly areas come to the old town and sell their products sitting around the chariot.

The chariot has also become a resting place for stray dogs and cows.

Every year after the car festival the chariot is kept at a specific place like an unused item and requires to be repaired for use during the next festival.

“If it is properly protected, the wood of the chariot will not get damaged. Thus, more wood will not be required for its repair and ultimately it will save the forest,” environmentalist Ramesh Chandra Mishra stated.

“As the chariot has earned its fame and made the district famous in the world, the district administration must take special care of it,” a retired central government officer Alekh Chandra Patra said.

“After the chariot got its tallest status, it has also become a big attraction for the tourist visiting Keonjhar. If properly protected with barricade around it, and proper lighting arrangements are made, more tourists will come and see the chariot along with the four-hundred-year-old lord Baladevjew temple, Sidhmatha, and Laxmipada beautiful deity places,” a local stated.

Commenting on the matter, Endownment department executive officer and Keonjhar sub-collector Ramchandra Kisku said, “We are planning to take steps for its protection and preservation so that tourists can see the world’s tallest chariot properly.”

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NH 49 traffic in a quandary; pregnant women serious

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Keonjhar, Nov 3 (LocalWire): Two pregnant women became serious after the ambulance carrying them to the district head quarters hospital got stuck for hours in Keonjhar town due to heavy traffic today.

The incident took place in Jail Road near office of the Sub-Divisional Police Officer around 4 PM.

One of the pregnant women was referred from Jashipura area of Mayurbhanj district and another from Patna area of Keonjhar district.

Due to lack of proper traffic management, people often face traffic problems.

Due to Kali Puja, the problem has doubled as police failed to manage the traffic.

Since the main route was closed due to Kalipuja, the ambulances are going through national highway 49 and Jail Road but the national highway is facing traffic jam as thousands of mineral-loaded trucks block the road.

Subhasini Munda, an Asha worker said, ‘The Jananai Surkhya ambulance was stopped near Jail Road about one kilometre from the Hospital for more than one-and-a-half hours.

The condition of Janaki Munda of Patna area is very critical.’

The IIC of Town Police Station, Somnath Jena, said ‘Due to Kalipuja and since today is Sunday, traffic flow is very high.

We take steps to clear the road for ambulances. We deployed a police force to sort the traffic but now we are thinking of alternative routes.’

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Three killed, one critical in road rage in Keonjhar dist

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Keonjhar, Oct 28 (LocalWire) In a case of road rage, a 35-year-old man and his two minor children were crushed to death by a speeding SUV at Joda in Keonjhar district on Monday evening , police said.

The SUV involved in the accident was stolen by a man identified as Irfan Khan.

In his attempt to escape with the vehicle, the vehicle lifter drove it in breakneck speed at crowded Ganesh Bazar locality leading to the tragic incident, IIC, Joda police station, Raisen Murmu said.

The SUV ran over the victims who were strolling along the road after the accused driver lost control over the vehicle due to high speed.

The deceased persons were identified as Dulub Lohar (35), his daughter Priya (five) and son Muna (three).

The accused driver identified Khan, who had stolen the SUV after unlocking with the help of a duplicate key, was also critically injured and admitted to the hospital, Murmu said adding investigation into the mishap was continuing.

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Tehsil clerk burnt alive as his house caught fire

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Keonjhar, Oct (LocalWire) A man burnt alive when his house caught fire near Sadha Chhak under Soso police station of Keonjhar district, police said.

The deceased identified as Sukadev Munda, a clerk of Anandapur Tehsildar, was sleeping in his house last night when the mishap struck him.

The fire had engulfed the entire house and Munda could not come out, they said.

On being informed, fire personnel rushed to the spot and doused the blaze .

Police had seized the charred body and sent for post-mortem, the sources said adding investigation into the incident was continuing.

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Mud hut caves in as rains lash Keonjhar; 1 dead

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Keonjhar, Oct 24 (LocalWire): A fifty-year-old tribal man died and two others were injured after a mud hut collapsed due to heavy rains on Wednesday night at Mishramala village under Harichandanpur tahasil of Keonjhar district about 45 kms from here.

Makara Munda died on the spot while his wife Sambari Munda and their son-in-law Muna Munda were admitted in Keonjhar district headquarter hospital for treatment.

After primary treatment Muna was released from hospital.

According to sources Makara, his wife and Muna were sleeping when their mud house collapsed and they were trapped under the mud wall.

After hearing the sound, villagers rushed to the spot and rescued Makara, Sambari and Muna.

On the way Makara succumbed to his injuries in the ambulance.

Suranjita Behera, district emergency officer, confirmed the incident and said ‘the Tahasildar will provide assistance and compensation will be paid as per law.’

Despite several rural housing projects implemented to provide houses to poor Makara had not got a house and were forced to live in a mud house raising questions on the success of these projects.

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Police arrest 25-year old for impregnating class-nine student

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Keonjhar, October 23 (LocalWire): The Keonjhar police on Tuesday arrested a twenty-five-year-old youth for making pregnant a class-nine student.

The incident had taken place in Harichandapur police station area about 60 km from here.

According to police sources, the girl who was staying in a boarding high school suddenly became sick and was admitted to Harichandanpur community health centre where the doctor found her to be pregnant and informed the school authority.

The school headmaster informed the matter to her parents and lodged a complaint in the Harichandanpur police station.

After receiving the complaint, the police started investigating the case and arrested the youth. He was presented before the court on Tuesday.

“During the investigation, it was found that the accused had a physical relation twice with the girl and made her pregnant.

After medical examination the accused was sent to court,” Ghatagaon SDPO Rabindra Kumar Mallick said.

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Father and son escape from Keonjhar court

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Keonjhar, Oct 15 (LocalWire): Four policemen including a court sub-inspector were suspended after a man and his son escaped from the District and Sessions Judge Court here today, police said.

Dasa Khuntia and his son Anil Khuntia of Suriali village under Telkoi police station were produced before the court for hearing of their bail application. They were arrested in a caste-related case.

However, even as their bail application was being heard, the duo managed to escape from the court.

As the news spread, superintendent of police, Keonjhar, swung into action and suspended on-duty policemen SI Dusanta Singh and constables Manorama Sethi, Sibani Nayak and and Renubala Mahanta for alleged dereliction of duty.

An inquiry into the incident has been order to fix the responsibility and efforts are on to arrest the father-son duo, sources said.

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