Teacher falls ill on census duty, dies a week later

Rourkela: A 32-year-old teacher of a govt school in Sundargarh district succumbed to suspected heatstroke on Saturday after he fell ill while doing census duty last week amid intense heatwave, his family claimed on Sunday.

The district administration has begun an inquiry to ascertain the cause of the death of Anurag Ekka (32), an assistant teacher at Jarada High School in Bonai subdivision’s Gurundia block.Ekka, a native of Kinjrikela police station area in Sundargarh district, was engaged in door-to-door census work in Jarada village when he collapsed on April 17, after which he was taken to a local hospital. He was reportedly discharged on April 19, after which he joined his duty in the school.

On Friday, Ekka again fell ill and was taken to Govt Medical College and Hospital, Sundargarh, in a critical condition. Ekka was declared dead around 8pm on Saturday.Sanjay Lakra, his brother-in-law said he collapsed while carrying out census duty a week ago because of heatstroke and never recovered.Bhagwan Bankira, block education officer of Lahunipada with additional charge of Gurundia, said the administration will find out the circumstances leading to his death.He was buried on Sunday.Ekka is survived by his wife and a 11-year-old daughter.