Stampede victim family yet to receive compensation

Berhampur, Nov 9 (UNI) Time seems to have stood still for Srikant, the only son of Sarojini Panda, who died in the stampede in Puri's Jagannath Temple on November 4.

''Although five days have passed, I am yet to receive any compensation for the tragic death of my mother,'' Srikant, a resident of Narendrapur village, told reporters.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had announced an ex gratia of Rs 1 lakh soon after the incident. The Jagannath Temple Management had also announced a matching amount as compensation to the next of kin of the four devotees killed in the stampede. However, till date, no government officials had approached him, Srikant claimed.

Sarojini, the 65-year-old widow of Harihar Panda, usually visited Puri to observe 'havish' in the month of Kartik every year.

She left for Puri on November 3 along with her two married daughters Girija Chowdhury and Nalini Padhi and stayed at a rented house.

On the fateful day while her daughters were at a corner of the Jagannath Temple, Sarojini went inside to have a darshan of 'Lakshmi-Nrusingh vesh' and met an unfortunate end.

''The police were busy providing security cover to some VIPs and no police personnel were present at the spot during the stampede resulting in the death of four devotees, including our mother,'' claimed the two daughters.

UNI XC-DP PL PB HT1725