Faridabad: Denied ambulance, man forced to carry granddaughter's body on shoulder

Insensitivity of hospital staff forced a man to carry the body of his nine-year-old granddaughter on his shoulder for her last rites. The incident occurred at Badshah Khan hospital in Faridabad on Friday afternoon after the hospital administration refused to facilitate an ambulance or private vehicle.

The shocking incident is a repeat of August last year in Odisha's Kalahandi, where a tribal man carried the body of his wife on his shoulder for 10 km for last rites after the district hospital's refusal for an ambulance.

In Faridabad, Laxmi, the nine-year-old girl, was suffering from high fever since Thursday night. Around 1 am, her mother gave her a syrup, following which her body temperature reduced. Around 4 am, she was gripped by high fever once again, and her parents admitted her to a private hospital.

The hospital staff informed them the treatment would cost Rs 5,000-6,000. They then decided to shift her to the Faridabad civil hospital (Badshah Khan hospital). Breaking down, Laxmi's parents alleged doctors did not give her adequate attention, due to which she had to lose her life.

"We repeatedly urged doctors for proper medication as her body temperature rose abruptly. No



doctor or nurse visited her despite the critical condition. Around 11.30 am, she lost her life," the deceased's maternal grandfather Hardev said. As soon as Laxmi died, hospital staff started putting pressure on her family to take away the body.

"We had little money that we had already deposited in the private hospital. We walked from that hospital to the civil hospital carrying Laxmi as we did not have money. We urged the civil hospital staff to provide ambulance so that we could at least carry the body, but they did not listen to us. Eventually, we decided to carry the body and walk till home," Hardev added.