Two Midday Meal Cooks Die Amid Ongoing Strike; Government Clarifies No Direct Link to Protest

Raipur, Jan 28, 2026: The ongoing strike by midday meal cooks in Chhattisgarh has taken a tragic turn, with two women succumbing to health complications during the protest. The strike, which began on December 29, was aimed at demanding higher wages, with cooks seeking an increase from ₹66 to over ₹400 per day.

The deceased have been identified as Rukmani Sinha from Kusumkasa village, Balod district, and Dulari Bai Yadav from Salda-Khamaria village, Berla block, Bemetara district. Both women had participated in the protest at the Tuta Dharna site in Nava Raipur Atal Nagar.

Rukmani Sinha, who suffered from blood pressure-related complications, fell ill between January 20–23 and was later admitted to Balod district hospital before being referred to Rajnandgaon Medical College, where she passed away on January 26. Dulari Bai Yadav, already suffering from a chronic illness, became unwell at the protest site on January 24 and was admitted to Shankaracharya Hospital in Bhilai, where she died the next morning.

Government Response
The Chhattisgarh state government has clarified that the deaths were not directly linked to the strike. In a statement, the Directorate of Public Instruction said discussions had been held with representatives of the striking cooks, resulting in a 25% wage increase, amounting to ₹500. The government urged cooks to return to their homes, but some continued to remain at the protest site voluntarily.

Ramraj Kashyap, state president of the Midday Meal Cooks’ Union, claimed that despite the month-long strike, the government had not taken satisfactory action on their demands, adding that the health of many protestors was deteriorating.

While the strike continues, authorities have stressed that the unfortunate deaths were due to pre-existing health conditions and not directly caused by participation in the protest.