Odisha: Jawan’s Wife Dies After Childbirth; Family Awaits His Return From Border
“We extend our heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved family,” said minister Pujari, adding that the government is facilitating Debraj’s travel back home.
Bhubaneswar: In a heartbreaking turn of events, the wife of an Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) jawan, who had to leave for the border soon after the birth of their child, passed away while undergoing treatment for post-delivery complications in Odisha’s Sambalpur district.
The 15-day-old baby girl is currently with her extended family in Tengnamal village under Lakhanpur block of Jharsuguda district. Efforts are underway to bring her father, Debraj Gand, back from his posting along the India-Bhutan border in Arunachal Pradesh.
Expressing his condolences, Odisha’s revenue and disaster management minister Suresh Pujari said, “I deeply mourn the untimely demise of the jawan’s wife. We are making all necessary arrangements to bring him back so he can perform the last rites and be with his family in this hour of grief.”
The deceased, identified as 28-year-old Lipi Gand, had delivered a baby girl on April 28 at Veer Surendra Sai Medical College and Hospital, Burla. Though her husband was present at the time of delivery, duty called, and he was summoned back to the border the very next day, family members said.
Soon after childbirth, Lipi’s condition deteriorated. She remained unconscious for 15 days, battling severe post-delivery complications, before succumbing to multi-organ failure late Monday night. Doctors at the hospital revealed that arrangements were being made to shift her to Bhubaneswar in an air ambulance, but she could not hold on.
“We extend our heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved family,” said minister Pujari, adding that the government is facilitating Debraj’s travel back home.
According to officials, the jawan is en route to Guwahati from his post in Arunachal Pradesh. From there, he will board a flight to Kolkata and then travel to Jharsuguda, where he is expected to arrive by late this evening.
“The entire village awaits his return, as the tragedy has cast a pall of gloom over the tight-knit community,” the minister said.