Acute poverty drove an old couple in a coastal Orissa village to jump to a nearby river and end their lives. The incident has occurred in Jagatsinghpur district.

According to a report reaching the state headquarters, the couple, residents of Baradia village, ended their lives by jumping into nearby Devi river on Tuesday afternoon after starving for three consecutive days.

The husband-wife duo were working as daily labourers but had not been able to go to work for the last 10 days after suffering from fever. The villagers fished out the body of the husband on Wednesday while the wife’s body is still missing.The villagers said, though the couple had been appealing the local authorities to provide them assistance under various schemes, it had never been extended to them.

 They plan to notify the  state human rights commission.