Palghar collector orders inquiry into man carrying dead son’s body on two-wheeler after allegedly being denied ambulance

Following the incident of a resident of a tribal village in Maharashtra’s Palghar district, who was forced to carry his six-year-old son’s body home on a two-wheeler as he was allegedly denied an ambulance because he could not afford it, the district collector has ordered an enquiry into the matter.

Palghar Collector Manik Gursal has said that action will be taken against whoever is guilty in this matter.

On the eve of Republic Day, the man Yuvraj Pardhi’s son named Ajay died during treatment at a hospital here.

The collector has informed that Yuvraj’s son had developed fever on January 22. The family took him to a private dispensary in Trimbakeshwar. After treatment for a day, doctors advised them to take him to a government hospital.

The family then took him to Mokhada Rural Medical Center, where doctors asked them to get Ajay admitted to a government hospital. He was then admitted to Jawhar rural hospital. Ajay died during treatment at around 9 pm on January 25.

The collector has said that the father had to take the child’s body home and he asked the doctors that he should be given a government ambulance, but the doctors allegedly said that money would have to be deposited for the ambulance. Due to the financial condition of the deceased father, he did not have money.

The father allegedly pleaded with the ambulance driver and doctors, but no one listened. With the help of his friend, he brought the son’s body to his house 40 km away by bike in the cold winter.

Meanwhile, Dr Marad, who treated Ajay in Jawhar rural hospital has said, “We have an ambulance but that is to carry patients. We don’t have an ambulance to carry the dead body but still, we were trying to arrange for an ambulance for them to carry the body of their son. But meanwhile, we were arranging for an ambulance, they left the hospital in hurry, possibly due to fear of a post mortem procedure on the body of their son. This is the whole issue.” Dr Marad also claimed that the boy had severe pneumonia symptoms and breathing issues.