Man pushes cart carrying wife’s body for 6 km

AGRA: A man, who brought his ailing wife to the Mainpuri district hospital on a push cart on Monday, was forced to take her body back to his village Hariharpur the same way, after the hospital allegedly failed to provide him with a hearse van.

Kanhaiyya, 40, a labourer in Hariharpur, had to push the cart with his wife’s body for six kilometres on the rough terrain of rural Mainpuri.

Although the hospital authorities initially denied the incident, district magistrate Pradeep Kumar took cognizance of the matter and sought a report from the hospital officials.

On Tuesday, chief medical superintendent Dr RK Sagar visited Hariharpur to record the aggrieved family’s version of the events. Villagers said Kanhaiyya’s wife Soni, 35, was suffering from heart and lung diseases and had undergone treatment for six months at Safai Medical College. On Monday, she reportedly complained of restlessness and shortness of breath. As her health deteriorated, Kanhaiyya tried arranging for transport, but finding nothing carried her to the district hospital on a ‘hath thela’.

It is not clear if he called up the ambulance service.

Staff at the hospital said that on reaching he approached a doctor who was out on rounds. The doctor reportedly declared Soni ‘brought dead’.

Sources said Kanhaiyya requested some hospital staff members to arrange transport for him to take the body back, but did not receive any help. It is still to be established who these staff members were. Left with no choice, he finally placed Soni’s body on the cart and pushed it all the way back to his village.

Speaking to HT, chief medical superintendent Dr RK Sagar said, “The last rites of the lady were taking place on Tuesday, when I visited the village. We recorded the statement of Kanhaiyya and his family. A detailed report will be submitted to the DM.” Regretting the incident, he added, “It is unfortunate. The husband did not contact me on Monday, otherwise we would have arranged a hearse van and a driver for him. The availability of the hearse van is mentioned on the walls of the hospital and the same should have been provided to him.” However, sources said the body was carried back on the push cart in full view of the hospital staff.

Meanwhile, in a humane gesture, keeping in view Kanhaiyya’s limited means, the villagers contributed for Soni’s cremation.