Indian man awakes on funeral pyre

Agence France-Presse

An Indian man awoke on a funeral pyre moments before it was set on fire after a doctor skipped a postmortem, medical officials said.

Rohitash Kumar, 25, who had speaking and hearing difficulties, had fallen sick and was taken to a hospital in Jhunjhunu in the western state of Rajasthan on Thursday.

Indian media reported he had had an epileptic seizure, and a doctor declared him dead on arrival at the hospital.

But instead of the required postmortem to ascertain the cause of death, doctors sent him to the mortuary and then to be burned according to Hindu rites.

D. Singh, chief medical officer of the hospital, told AFP that a doctor had “prepared the postmortem report without actually doing the postmortem, and the body was then sent for cremation.”

Singh said that “shortly before the pyre was to be lit, Rohitash’s body started movements,” adding that “he was alive and was breathing.”

Kumar was rushed to the hospital for a second time but was confirmed dead on Friday during treatment.

Authorities have suspended the services of three doctors, and the police have launched an investigation.

Popular

PBBM to soldiers: Serve the citizenry, protect the homeland

By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet “Panata ito ng katapatan sa tungkulin at paninindigan para sa bayan.” At the oath-taking ceremony of 29 newly promoted generals and flag...

Gov’t assures prompt aid to Cebu quake victims

By Brian Campued Following the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to provide immediate relief to families and individuals affected by the magnitude 6.9...

PBBM assures sustained gov’t support to calamity-hit Masbate

By Brian Campued President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday assured the public that the government will continue to provide various forms of assistance to...

ICI follows evidence, not manipulated for political gain —Palace told Escudero, VP Sara

By Brian Campued The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) remains “independent” and only follows evidence and is not controlled for political gain amid its probe...