To revive dead man, kin bring tantrik in ICU, sacrifice rooster
POLICE AND HOSPITAL STAFF WERE PRESENT IN THE ICU BUT COULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO STOP THE ADAMANT FAMILY
The family of a 22-year-old man, who died at a government hospital, refused to take his body off the ventilator and sacrificed a rooster in the presence of a sword-wielding tantrik in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the hospital in a bid to revive the deceased.
Hospital sources said that Hemraj, a native of Ghoda Basti in Kota, was injured in a road mishap on April 8 and was admitted to the New Government Medical College Hospital. He was shifted to the intensive care unit (ICU) and put on a ventilator. He died on Tuesday after which his family refused to switch off the ventilator and move his body out of the ICU. They then brought the tantrik to the ICU.
“A rooter was sacrificed and a lemon cut by the tantrik in the ICU in an unsuccessful bid to restore the deceased,” said the source. The incident went on for around three hours and in the afternoon the deceased’s family finally agreed to take his body.
Police and hospital staff were present in the ICU but could not do anything to stop the adamant family, which hails from a slum in Kota city.
The superintendent of the New Government Medical College Hospital, Kota, Dr SR Meena, said that the hospital authorities had informed the police but both the cops and the hospital staff couldn’t stop the family from carrying out the superstitious ritual.
He, however, said that a report will be sought from the ICU staff for further action.
No police complaint has been lodged. “We didn’t file a police complaint as the patient was dead,” said Dr Meena.
“Prima facie there is no role of the police as no complaint has been lodged. The police would have acted if the hospital would have lodged a complaint in the case against the attendants,” SP Kota City, Sawai Singh Godara, said. He said that they will probe if any policemen were present when the incident took place, adding that such superstitious act cannot be justified.