JOIN USCong leader's death triggers row in Odisha
The death of Ramachandra Ulaka, a very senior Congress leader in Odisha, has sparked off a row with the children of his first and second wives charging the veteran tribal politico’s third wife and her sons withf killing their father for his wealth.
The controversy has become a major topic of discussion in the state Congress circles as well as in Rayagara, a tribal dominated district where the former minister’s last rites were performed on Monday.
Ulaka who died at his residence late on Saturday night, reportedly following a heart attack, was to be cremated at Rayagara on Sunday. However, it was stopped at the last minute by the police, after the children of his first two wives lodged a complaint in the local police station. The post mortem of his dead body was conducted on Monday morning. The Rayagara police have also sought the help of their counterpart in Bhubaneswar to collect the medical reports of the departed leader.
Ulaka had three children, one son and two daughters from his first wife who had died long back. They reside in Rayagara. After the demise of his first wife he had married again and had four children, two sons and two daughters, from his second marriage.
Subsequently, he had married for the third time and had four sons from his third wife.
Both his second and third wives have been staying here in the state capital with their respective children but separately. The 78-year-old veteran leader was staying with his third wife and children at the time of his death.
The late Congress leader’s third wife, Ratnamani, has refuted the charges. However, the children of the first two wives, who have already lodged a police complaint, have threatened to take the matter to the court.