A shocking incident in Rajasthan’s Jhunjhunu district unfolded when Rohitash, a speech and hearing-impaired man declared dead by three doctors, woke up on his funeral pyre moments before being cremated, The Indian Express reported.
The three doctors from the Rajkiya Bhagwan Das Khetan (BDK) District Hospital have since been suspended for gross misconduct.
Rohitash, who had been residing in a shelter home for the past month, was brought to the hospital on Thursday after his health deteriorated. At the hospital, doctors declared him dead.
According to officials, protocol required a postmortem before releasing the body, but this was not performed. Instead, the body was sent directly for cremation. As the funeral rituals progressed and Rohitash was placed on the pyre, he regained consciousness, shocking everyone present.
He was rushed back to the BDK Hospital and later transferred to SMS Hospital in Jaipur, where he passed away the following day.
Jhunjhunu Superintendent of Police Sharad Choudhary explained the lapse:
“On Thursday, the youth’s health worsened, and he was taken to the hospital. With no relatives present, the doctors failed to perform a postmortem. Instead, they completed paperwork and released the body for cremation. When the body was placed on the pyre, he woke up.”
District Collector Ramavtar Meena confirmed that a committee had been formed to investigate the incident. Additional District Magistrate oversight has also been initiated into the hospital’s operations.
“Doctors Yogesh Jhkhar, Navneet Meel, and Sandeep Prachar are suspended for gross negligence. They did not perform a postmortem and sent the man for cremation. A report from the medical department is expected soon,” said Meena.
The case has drawn widespread attention, raising questions about medical practices and accountability in the region.