Sundargarh, May 11: A shocking incident at the Sundargarh Swargadwar has raised serious concerns over fading human values and family relationships. Relatives allegedly fought during the last rites of a deceased man and later abandoned the body midway through the cremation process.

According to reports, Chandres Kumar, originally from Begusarai district of Bihar, had been living in Sundargarh for several years and was engaged in a scrap paper business. He had reportedly been suffering from kidney and liver ailments and died on Friday while undergoing treatment in Burla.

On Saturday night, his body was brought to Sundargarh Swargadwar for cremation. However, a dispute broke out between Chandres’ family members from Bihar and his in-laws, which soon turned into a physical altercation. Despite repeated efforts by members of “Shmashan Bandhu” to resolve the issue, both sides refused to listen and eventually left the crematorium, leaving behind the deceased’s minor son and two relatives.

Later, members of Team Shmashan Bandhu carried out the last rites with the help of the minor son, who performed the final ritual of lighting the pyre. Local volunteers Siddhant Kumar Panda, Shishir Kumar Behera, Chintu Raksha and Devendra Sahu assisted in completing the cremation.