Elderly man kept in freezer box dies; probe ordered into hosp’s death certificate

COIMBATORE: A 74-year-old man, who was placed in a freezer box while still alive in Salem district died without responding to treatment on Friday.

Balasubramania Kumar from Kandhampatti district was found gasping for breath inside the freezer box, in a disturbing video that was circulated on social media. He was placed inside the freezer by his family who presumed he was dead. The horrific incident came to light on Tuesday evening, when the staff came to take the freezer box away and found the person inside alive. He was then rescued and admitted to the Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital. The police also booked the family, but no arrests were made so far.

The elderly man, who was suffering from chronic lung ailments died without responding to treatment and Health officials have initiated a probe against a private hospital for issuing a death certificate to Kumar, even while he was alive on Monday. The report is likely to be sent to the Medical Council of India for further action. “The patient was last treated at the hospital where doctors asked the family to take him home due to his deteriorating health. In an hour, the hospital issued a death certificate even when the man was alive,” said an official.