Latehar: In a shocking incident demonstrating the officials apathy, the body of a tribal who died at a hospital in Latehar district of Jharkhand had to be taken home on a rickshaw after the authorities allegedly denied ambulance. The incident took place on Thursday night at the Balumath block headquarters of Latehar district.
Chandru Lohra, a resident of Temrabar village of Basia panchayat of Nadi Parbalumath police station area, fell ill due to excessive drinking. The family took him to the Balumath Community Health Center where he died during treatment. After his death, Tolu Lohra, nephew of the deceased, demanded an ambulance from the hospital management, which flatly refused to oblige, sources said.
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Tolu said the hospital administration asked the relatives of the deceased to take the dead body home by their own arrangement. This was despite an ambulance available inside the hospital premises at that time. Tolu said that they were forced to carry the body home on a rickshaw as they had no money to arrange a vehicle.
The relatives said that they approached the in-charge medical officer over the matter but he too denied them the ambulance. A video of the incident is also being widely shared. It shows the relatives of the deceased carrying the body on a rickshaw on a busy road as vehicles zoom by.
The incident has raised questions over the apathy of the health department despite clear orders from the administration for arranging an ambulance for bodies. There was no immediate comment from the health authorities over the incident.
