Child presumed dead, found alive during cremation in Karnataka, dies next day

A child, who was presumed dead in Karnataka, was found alive while conducting the last rites. Sadly, he died the next day while undergoing treatment in a hospital.

Dharwad (Karnataka): A one-and-a-half-year-old child, who was presumed to be dead and was found alive while being cremated in a graveyard in Karnataka's Dharwad on Thursday, but died on Friday, official sources said. The incident took place at Basapura village in Navalagunda taluk of Dharwad district.

The child, identified as Akash Basavaraja Pujara, was unwell for the past few days. Hence, he was admitted to the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) Hospital in Hubli. However, the parents got their son discharged from the hospital as the doctors said that the child was unlikely to survive. After taking him back home, the parents presumed that he is no more and took Akash to Basapura village to cremate him.

Later, while conducting the last rites the child breathed as two drops of water were put in his mouth as part of rituals. The parents found the child alive and admitted him to Navalagunda Hospital. Due to the lack of a ventilator, Akash was admitted again to KIMS Hospital in Hubli and was undergoing treatment in the ICU. On Friday as well, the doctors declared that Akash was not likely to survive and the parents realised that their child would not survive and they brought him to the village. The child died at home and funeral rites were conducted.

Meanwhile, KIMS director Dr Ramalingappa Antarathani said that they have not given any certificate stating that the child died at the hospital when he was admitted first. The child was discharged from the hospital while he was still alive at the request of his parents.