Bhubaneswar/Baripada: Two school teachers engaged in fieldwork for Census 2027 died within two days in separate incidents in Odisha, with officials suspecting sunstroke amid a severe heatwave that has pushed temperatures above 40°C in several districts.
In Mayurbhanj, Rajkapur Hembram, a teacher at Baidyanath High School in Betnoti block, died on Sunday evening while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Baripada. He reportedly fell unconscious after returning from door-to-door Census enumeration, PTI reported, quoting his nephew Laxmikant Hembram.
“Rajkapur Hembram complained of discomfort after returning from census work. He was admitted to the hospital and died. He was assigned three villages for census enumeration,” said headmistress of the school Mamata Das.
Family members alleged that he had earlier informed colleagues about feeling unwell and facing pressure from authorities to continue the work despite his condition, the report added.
Similarly in Sundargarh, Anurag Ekka, an assistant teacher at Jarada Government High School under Gurundia block, fell ill while pe
rforming Census duties on Saturday. He was initially taken to the Gurundia community health centre. He was later shifted to the district headquarters hospital but died the same day.
Reports indicate Ekka, who had been engaged in enumeration since mid-April, collapsed during door-to-door work in the village.
These incidents come as Odisha grapples with intense heatwave conditions, with multiple locations recording temperatures well above 40°C in recent weeks and parts of the state, including areas near Sundargarh, experiencing scorching highs. The deaths follow an earlier reported case in Sonepur district, where another teacher died of heart attack on April 21 after Census work, bringing the tally of such linked fatalities to at least three.
Officials from the Special Relief Commissioner’s office stated that district collectors concerned are investigating the incidents. The exact causes of death will be confirmed only after receiving detailed medical reports from the districts.
Notably, the state government has already issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to protect enumerators and supervisors involved in the ongoing first phase of the Census 2027, urging restrictions on fieldwork during peak afternoon hours (11 am to 3 pm) amid the heat. They have also been advised to get hydrated and keep Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) while going to the field.