Datta Baban Jadhav, 65, belonging to the Katkari community, died on March 25 around 6pm due to an alcohol overdose. However, his body was only cremated the following day at 2pm. For over 18 hours, his body lay on the streets of Khadakwalsla in Pune. The relatives were unable to perform the last rites due to a lack of necessary documents. They claimed that when they approached officials for a 'smashan dakhla' (cremation certificate), they were asked for basic documents like an Aadhar card, which they could not provide as the community does not possess them.
Watch Video:
Speaking to The Free Press Journal, Gangu Datta Jadav, wife of the deceased, said, "My husband was an alcoholic. On Monday evening, after dinner, he drank alcohol and went to sleep, but later when we checked, he had passed away. Afterwards, we struggled to perform the last rites as no one was ready to give us the materials required for cremation. The officials asked us for documents, but we are poor and don't know how to obtain the documents."
Sudam Kisan Pawar, the brother-in-law of the deceased, added, "We faced great difficulty cremating the body. The crematorium officials asked for a 'smashan dakhla', which we could not provide because when we went to get it, they asked for an Aadhar card, which we don't have. After trying everything, we finally contacted a journalist who made a few calls to senior officials. With his help, the police arrived, and the cremation could finally take place. We request the authorities to provide us with all the required documents."
FPJ Photo
FPJ Photo
FPJ Photo
Meanwhile, speaking to this newspaper, Kiran Survase, tahsildar, Haveli taluka, said that the family was allowed to proceed with the cremation after hearing their problems. "This is not our failure; we organise camps to provide documents. These people had gone to Karnataka and have recently returned, which is why they lack documents. The authorities are performing their duties—cremation cannot be performed without a 'smashan dakhla', so we can't really blame anyone. These people do not have documents, and hence, the delay was caused."
"A week ago, a camp was held to begin the documentation process for the Katkari community, and basic documents were provided to them. Another camp is scheduled, and within a month, every individual from the community will have the necessary documents," he added.
FPJ Photo
FPJ Photo
FPJ Photo
Last month, The Free Press Journal published a report highlighting the challenges faced by the Katkari community due to the lack of essential documents. The report had an impact, prompting the Pune district collector to direct officials to set up camps in areas with a significant Katkari population, particularly those residing near the NDA.
According to the data shared by the officials, the authorities have so far worked on 491 documents, including corrections and new issuances.
