Indian man found alive on funeral pyre

In a shocking incident in Rajasthan, India, a 25-year-old man declared dead by doctors was discovered alive moments before his funeral pyre was to be lit.

The man, identified as Rohitash Kumar, later succumbed during treatment, officials confirmed Saturday.

Kumar, who had speaking and hearing impairments, had fallen ill on Thursday in Jhunjhunu district and was rushed to a local hospital. Doctors initially declared him dead on arrival, reportedly attributing his condition to an epileptic seizure.

However, a crucial postmortem examination, required to confirm the cause of death, was skipped. Instead, Kumar was sent directly to the mortuary and subsequently prepared for cremation as per Hindu rites.

D. Singh, the hospital’s chief medical officer, revealed the negligence. “A doctor prepared the postmortem report without actually performing the examination,” Singh said, adding that the body began showing movements just before the pyre was set alight. “He was alive and breathing.”

Kumar was urgently taken back to the hospital but was confirmed dead during treatment the following day.