Kendrapada: A woman clerk lost her baby after allegedly being denied leave by the Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) even as she experienced severe labour at office in Odisha’s Kendrapada district.
This incident took place on October 25.
According to sources, Barsha Priyadarshini, an employee of Women and Child Development Department in Derabis block, had been attending office regularly. She was in her seventh month of pregnancy and experience severe pain on the fateful day. She then pleaded with the CDPO, Snehalata Sahoo, and other officials of the department to take her to the hospital. Ignoring her pleas, the CDPO allegedly misbehaved with her.
Soon, Barsha’s family members reached the office and took her to a private hospital. After an ultrasound, the doctors there found that the baby in her womb had died. In the video which has gone viral, the CDPO can also be seen arguing with one of her relatives at the office.
Speaking to the media, Barsha alleged that the CDPO had been troubling her for the past 3 years. “I was unable to take mental harassment she was subjecting me to and it impacted my baby. In August, I had fainted in the office and had verbally informed the in-charge deputy collector and sub-collector about it. She is a demon in woman form who killed my baby in the womb…,” said the inconsolable woman.
Barsha has submitted written complaints to district collector and the SP demanding stringent action against the CDPO.
Derabis BDO Anirudha Behera said that he got to know about the incident from news reports. “An inquiry will be ordered and we will also inform higher-ups about the incident,” he said.
Meanwhile, the CPDO has refuted the allegations. “I have never harassed her. She is lying. Her family misbehaved with me and they had kept the mobile phones ready to shoot the interaction. The video has been edited,” she claimed.
She added that Barsha never applied for leave.
