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Paschim Medinipur: Under the blazing afternoon sun, 82-year-old Mrityunjay Mallik sat outside his crumbling mud hut. His skeletal frame was etched with the unmistakable signs of severe malnutrition. Hunger has become his most constant companion. He waits not for comfort or dignity – but simply for food. This grim picture of food scarcity is evident across the entire region of Jangalmahal in West Bengal.

One after another, residents have been succumbing to malnutrition brought on by acute food shortages. In this elderly man’s own village, two women – Joyanti Nayek (58) and Rakhi Ari (43) – have died over the past month. Just two weeks ago, in the neighbouring village of Chaksahapur, 32-year-old Pradip Mallik reportedly died after prolonged starvation. 

However, the district administration has refused to acknowledge these deaths as starvation-related.  

Mrityunjay Mallik was fully aware of these tragedies unfolding around him. What he now seeks is painfully simple – just a handful of food to survive.

This is Pankui village, located 80 kilometres west of Kolkata and 50 kilometres east of Kharagpur, in the Debra block of Paschim Medinipur district, West Bengal. When asked what he had eaten since morning, Mallik failed to remember. He paused, thought about it but then quietly admitted that he cannot recall eating anything at all.

“My two sons and daughter-in-law have gone out looking for work,” he said in a calm, almost resigned voice. “If they get work, they will buy vegetables and spices with the wages and then cook. If they don’t, I will go back inside once the sun softens. In winter, I cannot sit outside. For now, I am just warming my body in the sunlight,” he told The Wire.

Mallik belongs to the Lodha-Shabar community, classified as a particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG). At 82, he has survived years of food insecurity, living up to his name – ‘Mrityunjay’, the conqueror of death – painfully, through sheer resilience. 

Mrityunjay Mallik, an 82-year-old man, sits outside his home in Pankui village. Photo: Madhu Sudan Chatterjee

But the question lingers: for how much longer?

Mallik’s is not an isolated case. Across the forested and undulating stretches of Bankura, Purulia, Jhargram and Paschim Medinipur districts of West Bengal – a region officially designated as ‘Jangalmahal’ – his story is familiar.

This vast tract of small and medium hills wrapped in dense forests is home to PVTGs, including the Lodha-Shabar and Birhar communities, alongside Adivasi groups such as Santhal, Bhumij, Kora, Pahariya and Munda. In almost any corner of this region, one encounters lives mirroring that of Mallik.

“Despite belonging to some of the country’s most ancient indigenous communities, many residents remain trapped in chronic unemployment and suffer from severe malnutrition. With little access to sustainable livelihoods, hunger has become a persistent reality,” said Pulin Bihari Baske, a resident of Medinipur and general secretary of the All India Adivasi Adhikar Mancha. 

Locals said that despair often drives sections of the population toward alcoholism, further aggravating fragile health conditions. Illness follows swiftly. Medical care, however, remains largely out of reach, compounded by the near absence of sustained awareness campaigns or preventive healthcare initiatives.

“The consequences are devastating. Children, men and women are dying prematurely, quietly and repeatedly,” Baske told The Wire.

Occasionally, a report in the local press brings the matter to the attention of the government and district administration. For a few days, there is visible activity. Affected families may receive a few kilograms of rice, a tarpaulin sheet and coarse clothing. 

However, soon enough, the urgency fades. The spotlight shifts and silence returns; families continue to battle malnutrition.

The Santal community constitutes the largest section of the tribal population in the Jangalmahal region, followed by the Lodha-Shabar community, one of the region’s most marginalised indigenous groups. Among the districts, Jhargram accounts for the highest concentration of Lodha-Shabar residents, with an estimated population of nearly 40,000 members of the community, followed by Paschim Medinipur with around 30,000, and Purulia with approximately 14,000 Lodha-Shabar residents. In Bankura, their population stands at around 4,000.

Altogether, nearly 90,000 people belonging to the Lodha-Shabar community reside across the Jangalmahal region, reflecting a significant presence of this Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) in the area.

“We have survived by remaining cut off from mainstream society. Our people are afraid to raise their demands, and government officials rarely visit our villages. This is how life continues,” said Sanjay Mallik, a resident of Chaksahapur village in Pashchim Medinipur.

“When members of our community die due to hunger and malnutrition, does it matter to anyone?” he asked. 

Referring to a recent incident in the Debra block of Paschim Medinipur, the locals further pointed out that three people reportedly died of starvation and malnutrition in two villages. “Do you hear any serious discussion about it now? Everything goes on as before,” a resident told The Wire.

On February 5, the same day the state budget was presented by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Pradip Mallik, a 32-year-old daily wage labourer of Chaksahapur village, under Jalimanda gram panchayat, in the Debra block of Paschim Medinipur district, allegedly died of starvation. He was a member of the Lodha-Shabar community.

“Not a single fire was lit in our kitchen for three days before he died. We were practically surviving without food,” Pradip’s widow, Alpana Mallik, told The Wire.

The family now comprises Pradip’s widow, two minor children, his aged father and mother, as well as grandmother. They did not have a steady source of income sufficient to feed them all. Even after his death, his body lay in the courtyard of their home until the afternoon of the following day because the family could not afford the expenses for the last rites. 

The neighbours initially decided to bury the deceased. Eventually, residents from a nearby village helped arrange firewood for the cremation, after which the family was able to perform his last rites.

Pradip Mallik’s family waiting to perform his last rites in Pankui village, Debra block of Paschim Medinipur. Photo: Madhu Sudan Chatterjee

“We have not received any government allowance so far,” alleged Nanda Mallik, Pradip’s father. “My wife, Behula Mallik, and daughter-in-law, Alpana, have not received any financial assistance under the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme, which is meant to support women’s social welfare in the state.” 

He further alleged that his 72-year-old mother, Jamuna Mallik, Pradip’s grandmother, has also been deprived of old-age or widow pension benefits, as her biometric authentication could not be linked with her Aadhaar card, rendering her ineligible for assistance. 

Although a handful of houses have been initiated under the Banglar Bari Awas Yojana housing scheme, only a few structures stand partially built – covered with black polythene sheets and lacking basic structures like doors and windows. The majority of homes in the village remain dilapidated, highlighting the living conditions of the community.

‘No evidence death was due to malnutrition’

The Pashchim Medinipur district administration has refused to acknowledge these deaths as cases of starvation. On Monday (February 23), district magistrate (DM) Bijin Krishna told The Wire that the administration does not consider these incidents to be starvation deaths. 

“As per health department report there is no evidence that the death that happened on February 5 was due to malnutrition,” he said.

The DM further said that there are multiple initiatives taken up by administration for this community, highlighting the health and awareness camps organised, and mobile medical units deployed in Lodha-Shabar concentrated villages. Around 3,400 houses were sanctioned for this community as a special case under Banglar Bari, and all the Lodha-Shabar families have been brought under the scheme of Antyodaya Anna Yojana, he claimed.

They have provided pension under the Jai Johar pension scheme, along with Anganwadi centre at Lodha-Shabar populated villages; under livelihood generation schemes, goats and pigs were supplied among women SHG groups from this community, Krishna said. 

Infrastructure development schemes for the construction of roads, drinking water have also been taken up under various funds like the PVTG development fund, Lodha-Shabar  Development Board etc, he added.

He also said that following reports of Pradip’s death in Chaksahapur, two tarpaulins and a 26-kilogram sack of rice were handed over to his father by the block development officer (BDO) of Debra Block office on February 6.

Meanwhile, standing at the Debra Block office, Nanda Mallik said, “There are six members in our family who need two meals a day. We receive 6 kg of rice a week from the ration shop, which does not last more than three days. My son died of hunger. As a father, I could do nothing to save him. We want to live. Give us work, and we will survive.”

Pradip Mallik’s father Nanda, mother Behula and wife Alpana while returning from Debra BDO office. Photo: Madhu Sudan Chatterjee

A total of 214 Lodha-Shabar families live across three villages – Chaksahapur, Pankui and Singar – in the Jalimanda gram panchayat of this block, with the population exceeding 1,000.

Just a month ago, two women and a middle-aged man – identified as Jayanti Nayek, Rakhi Ari, and Sankar Ari – reportedly died due to hunger and malnutrition in Pankui village. 

Speaking to The Wire, Tapan Ari, husband of Rakhi Ari, said, “Neither Jayanti nor Rakhi received the Lakshmir Bhandar benefits. My cousin, Sankar Ari, survived on near-starvation for almost a month before he died in agony. In the past one month alone, four people have died in this area.”

He added, “You may not believe us; you may think we are telling stories. But the truth is simple: we have no work. We are deprived of opportunities from social welfare schemes. People are falling ill after days of half meals and hunger. We cannot afford medical treatment. That is why lives are being lost. If you want to understand how we live, just open your eyes and look at our homes.”

BDO Priyabrata Rari said that the block administration would look into the matter and take further necessary steps to address the livelihood concerns of residents in the area.

A similar picture in Purulia

For three months since September 2024, residents of Shabartola in Harjora village, located in Barourma gram panchayat under the Balarampur block of the Jangalmahal region in Purulia district, witnessed the deaths of several villagers allegedly due to malnutrition. The deceased include Kalipada Shabar (68), Suku Shabar (55), Kangso Shabar (45), Sankar Shabar (35), Mathur Shabar (55), Gopal Shabar (35), Ashoke Shabar, and Bhakom Shabar.

The 32 Shabar families residing in this remote hamlet live under the constant spectre of death and despair.

At present, two more young individuals, Chotu Shabar and Bhudeb Shabar, are bedridden, battling critical health conditions attributed to prolonged malnutrition. “My husband starved to death. We have no jobs. What do we eat to survive?” said Tiya Shabar, the widow of Kangso Shabar. 

Residents of Shabartola of Harjora village in Purulia district. Photo: Madhu Sudan Chatterjee

She added that most villagers are physically weakened by chronic hunger, making them vulnerable to disease, while the lack of financial resources prevents them from accessing medical treatment. “People are dying one after another,” she said.

The Shabar community in Purulia district too is grappling with a severe food crisis as their economic conditions continue to deteriorate. With no employment opportunities in the village or nearby areas, many of them have been forced to migrate to other states as labourers. However, financial exploitation, low wages and harsh working conditions have compelled many to return, and in poor health.

A resident of Shabartola of Harjora village in Purulia district. Photo: Madhu Sudan Chatterjee

“We went to Odisha, Bengaluru, Delhi, and Mumbai to work as migrant labourers. The contractors did not pay proper wages, and we had to work 10-12 hours a day for meagre pay. We fell sick and had to return to the village,” said Lalmohan Shabar and Gurucharan Shabar, residents of Harjora. 

They also recalled the disappearance of Damon Shabar, a young man who left for Odisha three years ago and has remained missing since.

Most homes in this settlement are dilapidated, with walls and roofs covered with worn tarpaulin sheets. This grim reality defines daily life in the area.

Residents state that both the panchayat and the district administration are aware of their plight. Officials from the district administration have visited the village and observed the appalling conditions firsthand; however, no substantial measures have been implemented to alleviate their suffering.

The condition of Birhor community in Purulia

Birhor, one of the oldest indigenous groups residing in the Jangalmahal region of Purulia district, has been officially recognised as a PVTG. They are usually concentrated in four locations across Purulia district – Besra village, situated atop Hetia Dungri hill in the Balarampur block; Bhupati Palli and Bareria villages in the Bagmundi block; and Mahultanr village in the Jhalda block. Individuals of the community often use “Shikari” as their surname. According to the 2011 Census data, the total population of the Birhor community across these four settlements stands at 2,241.

Anita, Roma and Bilasi Shikari in Mahultarn village, in Purulia district. Photo: Madhu Sudan Chatterjee

The community largely lacks access to stable and permanent sources of livelihood, with no fixed employment opportunities available in these remote habitations.

Their primary source of income is the collection of firewood and branches from nearby forests, which they sell in surrounding villages. Rope-making constitutes another livelihood activity. Women in Bhupati Palli also work as agricultural labourers, while some young men migrate to other states in search of employment.

Sarala Shikari is a widow with no surviving relatives. Two years ago, her son, Rena Shikari (40), died of malnutrition. She now suffers from multiple illnesses. Her days are spent making ropes from plastic threads stripped from used cement sacks. “I am very sick. I suffer constant pain in my waist, legs, and neck. I can no longer climb the hills. I somehow survive on the 20-25 rupees I earn from making these ropes,” she said in Birhor language.

Sarala Shikari making rope in her house at Mahultanr village. Photo: Madhu Sudan Chatterjee

In Mahultanr, it became evident that villagers continue to rely on leaves, vines and roots to treat a range of ailments – fever, coughs, body aches, fractures, and even gynaecological conditions affecting women. However, the dependence on such unscientific remedies often results in prolonged illness or premature death. No sustained government initiative has been undertaken to regularly spread health awareness in the area. 

“When there is a major outbreak, such as diarrhea or malaria, doctors come from outside. Otherwise, no health workers visit the village,” said Arjun Shikari. Another alarming concern is the declining reproductive rate within the Birhor community, contributing to a steady decrease in its population.

In the southern fringe of Bankura district, across the forested belts of Ranibandh, Raipur, Sarenga, Hirbandh and Khatra, the Shabar community resides in scattered settlements with the total population estimated to be around 4,000. Ranibandh block, in particular, has the highest concentration of Shabar population.

They usually live in remote, densely forested, and hilly terrain, largely cut off from basic infrastructure and essential services of the social and economic mainstream.

Alarmingly, their numbers have been declining each year. 

Visible signs of severe malnutrition persist across nearly every hamlet. 

In Ranibandh, in 13 of the 19 localities where Shabar families reside, not a single house has been sanctioned under the government housing scheme. In the remaining localities, only three to four houses have been allotted in each, and even those remain incomplete to this day.

People of Shabar community in Barda village of Raibandh, Bankura battle with malnutrition. Photo: Madhu Sudan Chatterjee

An elderly woman of the Shabar community sits with an empty bowl in Raibandh, Bankura. Photo: Madhu Sudan Chatterjee

“In our Shabar-inhabited villages – such as Jovi, Kulyam, Makhnu, Chakrapathor, Heta Pathor, Sutan, Mithaam, Kaoyadanga, and Burishol, among many others – water has still not reached us. We are forced to depend on wells and tube wells to quench our thirst,” said Fatik Shabar, a resident of Jovi village, speaking to The Wire.

He further alleged that no work is currently available under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in the area. Employment opportunities that were previously accessible through the Large-Sized Adivasi Multipurpose Cooperative Societies (LAMPS) have also come to a halt.

Many young people have migrated outside the district in search of employment. However, even opportunities as migrant labourers have dwindled, and wages have fallen significantly. As a result, many are being compelled to return home. “But there is no work here either. How are we to feed ourselves?” he asked.

The severity of malnutrition in Bankura is starkly visible in villages such as Barda, located near the Mukutmanipur reservoir, and the nearby village of Lodda. In Barda, three individuals reportedly died of malnutrition two years ago, while in Lodda, Jamuna Shabar passed away a few months ago under similar circumstances.

Sheikh Amiruddin, the National Health Mission (NHM) official in charge of Ranibandh block, stated that malnutrition has led to a rise in tuberculosis cases among residents of Barikul, Jhilimili, Rautora, Rudra and Haludkanali. Although many patients are undergoing treatment, they are gradually losing their ability to work due to physical weakness and the lack of nutritious food.

Women in the region are widely affected by anaemia. Many children are born underweight, and their growth, particularly in terms of weight, remains stunted for their age. Health officials attribute these conditions primarily to chronic malnutrition.

The block development officer of Ranibandh, Anisha Yash, told The Wire that she would examine the housing issue with due priority, while assuring that she would inform the concerned higher authorities about the need to prepare a comprehensive master plan for the overall development of the Shabar community in the area.

Root causes of malnutrition

Although rice is currently distributed free of cost through the public distribution system, many families still do not receive sufficient quantities to ensure two meals a day. Local employment opportunities are almost non-existent. Work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) has reportedly remained suspended for the past four years. The region is also agriculturally underdeveloped, and whatever limited cultivation once sustained livelihoods has steadily declined. As a result, employment prospects for these tribal communities have reached an alarming low.

Compounding the crisis is a sharp rise in alcoholism in the area, while public health awareness initiatives remain virtually absent. The combined impact of food insecurity, lack of livelihood opportunities, and inadequate public health outreach continues to push these vulnerable communities deeper into distress.

Residents of Mahultanr village in Purulia district. Photo: Madhu Sudan Chatterjee

Mahosin Mandal, a teacher of nutrition at Barjora High School in Bankura district, explained that according to the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) guidelines of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), nutritional requirements vary from person to person. He stated that a balanced diet must include adequate amounts of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats..

He said that such caloric needs cannot be met through two meagre meals a day, resulting in widespread physical weakness and heightened vulnerability to illness.

Speaking on the overall development of the Lodha-Shabar community in the Jangalmahal region, Balai Chandra Nayek, chairman of the state government-sponsored Lodha-Shabar Development Board and a resident of Keshiary in Paschim Medinipur district, told The Wire that last year the board received Rs 74 lakh from the state government for development initiatives across four districts.

Out of this allocation, Rs 26 lakh was spent on establishing a school hostel for Shabar students in Rajnagar, Purulia district; Rs 5 lakh was utilised to provide drinking water facilities at Duaripalgram in Raipur block of Bankura district; Rs 15 lakh was allocated for drinking water projects in Jhargram; and another Rs 15 lakh was used to develop a children’s park at Keshiary in Paschim Medinipur. Additionally, street lighting facilities were installed in Lodha-Shabar-inhabited areas of Keshpur, Narayangarh, and Kharagpur.

However, he acknowledged that no specific initiative has yet been undertaken to address employment generation for the community.

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