Another family in Jharkhand’s Giridih claims starvation death; state food minister denies allegation, cites ‘official reports’

Ranchi/Giridih: A family in Jharkhand’s Giridih district has alleged that one of its members died of starvation, but state’s Food and Civil Supplies minister Saryu Roy Thursday said official reports on the incident deny the claim. The minister said a perfectly laid out protocol to prevent death due to starvation is in place in the state. [caption id=“attachment_4161989” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] Ramesh Turi of Chirudih in Giridih district had told the media that his 48-year-old wife Savitri died of starvation last Tuesday. Not buying the claim, the minister said, “there is a perfect protocol to give ration under the Annapurna Yojana to the needy even if they dont have ration cards, there are grain bank and Rs 10,000 is given to Mukhias who can be approached for assistance. “The officials deny the report of starvation death,” Roy told PTI, citing “ambiguity” in the media reports. He, however, said “if the (starvation) report is true then certainly responsibility will be fixed.” Giridih Deputy Commissioner Rahul Kumar Sinha dismissed that Savitri Devi died because of lack of food. “After an investigation into the report of starvation death, it was found that all the members of the family are healthy, food materials are at their home and it is not a case of starvation,” Sinha told PTI in Giridih. District Supply Officer Pawan Mandal said the investigating team found that four kilograms of rice, one kilograms pulse and potatoes were at their home. “The eldest son is constructing a pucca house after taking loan while two other sons are healthy and a daughter is married and stays in the same locality,” Mandal said. Civil Surgeon — Dr Awadhesh Kumar Sinha — said the family members did not allow for a post-mortem after they claimed that she died of starvation. “A two-member medical team today checked health of the family members and found that every member is healthy,’ the Civil Surgeon said.