Cuttack, Sept. 7: After creating a national uproar, the tragic case of Daana Majhi has reached Orissa High Court.

Majhi had to walk 16km carrying his wife's body because the Kalahandi district headquarters hospital at Bhawanipatna denied him a hearse, as he had no money to pay for it.

A petition has sought intervention for registration of a criminal case and "fair investigation" into the cause of death of Daana's wife on August 24 and alleged atrocity that had followed on him and his family, violating the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Rights activist Subash Mohapatra, who filed the petition yesterday, has also sought compensation for the victim's family under rules framed in the Act.

In his petition, Mohapatra has alleged that though he had filed a complaint about the incident at the Bhawanipatna town police station, the officer in-charge had registered it on August 28 but did not follow it up with investigation.

Mohapatra alleged in his petition that the state home department had also ignored his petition for investigation into the incident on the plea: "This matter does not relate to home department as this matter comes under the health department".

"The victim family was deprived, denied (service) and harassed by public authorities including the collector, sub-collector, CDMO, BDO, nurse, and security staff. Therefore, the police and home department were requested to take them to the court of justice by taking legal action, along with compensation according to the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and rules framed under it," Mohapatra said.

According to the petition, Daana's wife was a daily labourer and used to support the family financially. Therefore, according to rules framed under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and Rules, the government is expected to pay at least Rs 8,25,000 as compensation. But till date, the state government has failed to comply with the provision.

"While the family of the deceased woman was supposed to perform third day ritual ( Dibi Utha) on August 26, the block development officer of Thuamul Rampur took Daana Majhi and his 12-year-old daughter in his van and presented them before the sub-collector for inquiry. Denying the family to perform third day rituals in the name of investigation violated their religious rights and rituals," the petition states.

Reports said Daana had so far got Rs 30,000 and a sack of rice from the district administration of Kalahandi and promises of admission in residential tribal school for his three daughters. Daana has also been assured a pucca house under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna and inclusion under the National Family Benefit Scheme.