A 25-year-old Indian man, Rohitash Kumar, narrowly avoided being cremated alive after regaining consciousness on a funeral pyre moments before it was set alight.
The incident, which took place in Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, has raised serious concerns about medical negligence.
Kumar, who had hearing and speech difficulties, was admitted to a local hospital on Thursday after suffering an epileptic seizure. Shockingly, a doctor declared him dead upon arrival without performing the mandatory postmortem examination. Instead, the body was sent to the mortuary and subsequently prepared for cremation according to Hindu rites.
Singh, the hospital’s chief medical officer, admitted to AFP that the postmortem report was falsified. “A doctor prepared the postmortem report without actually conducting the procedure,” he said.
As the funeral pyre was about to be lit, mourners noticed movement from Kumar’s body. “Shortly before the pyre was to be lit, Rohitash’s body started moving. He was alive and breathing,” Singh added.
Kumar was rushed back to the hospital but tragically passed away on Friday during treatment.
The shocking incident has prompted swift action from authorities, with three doctors suspended for their roles in the negligence. Police have also launched an investigation into the matter. The case has sparked outrage, with calls for stricter protocols and accountability in medical practices to prevent such grave errors in the future.