Chhattisgarh man carries daughter's body on shoulders for 10 km to reach home; probe ordered

Ambikapur, March 26

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A video of a man carrying the body of his seven-year-old daughter on his shoulders in Chhattisgarh’s Surguja district went viral on social media on Friday, prompting health minister TS Singh Deo to order a probe.

According to officials, the girl died on Friday morning at the Community Health Centre at Lakhanpur village in the district, and her father took the body away before a hearse arrived.

Ishwar Das, a native of Amdala village, had brought his ailing daughter Surekha to Lakhanpur Community Health Centre early in the morning, they said.

“The girl’s oxygen level was very low, around 60. According to her parents, she was suffering from high fever for the past few days. Necessary treatment was initiated but her condition deteriorated and she died at around 7.30 am,” said Dr Vinod Bhargav, Rural Medical Assistant (RMA) posted at the health centre.

“We told the family that a hearse would arrive soon. It came at around 9.20 am, but by then they had left with the body,” he added.

In the video, the man can be seen carrying the body on his shoulders. He covered a distance of around 10 km on foot to reach home in Amdala.

After the video went viral on social media, Health Minister Singh Deo, who was in Ambikapur – the district’s headquarters – on Friday, asked the district’s Chief Medical and Health Officer to probe the matter and take necessary action.

“I saw the video. It was disturbing. I have told the CMHO to take appropriate action after getting the matter probed. I have told him that those who are posted there but are not able to discharge their duties should be removed,” the minister told reporters.

Singh Deo represents Ambikapur assembly constituency in the state Assembly.

“The health personnel who were on duty should have persuaded the family to wait for the vehicle. They should have ensured such things did not happen,” the minister added.