A 25-year-old man in Rajasthan was declared dead by doctors, only to show signs of life before cremation. After being rushed to Jaipur’s Sawai Man Singh Hospital, he passed away. The incident raises questions about medical negligence at the Jhunjhunu district hospital.
Man Declared Dead Shows Signs of Life Before Cremation, Dies After Hospital Blunder in Rajasthan
In a shocking case of medical negligence, Rohitash Kumar, a 25-year-old man, was declared dead by doctors at a government-run hospital in Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, only to show signs of life just before his planned cremation. Despite being rushed to Jaipur’s Sawai Man Singh Hospital (SMS), he passed away in the early hours of the following day. This tragic incident has sparked an outcry over the quality of medical care and the procedures followed at the Jhunjhunu district hospital.
The Incident: A Terrible Blunder in Medical Diagnosis
The case of Rohitash Kumar began on the afternoon of November 21, 2024, when he was taken to BDK Hospital in Jhunjhunu, after being found critically ill. According to the hospital’s reports, he was immediately given CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) due to his deteriorating condition. His ECG (electrocardiogram) was reported as flat, and doctors declared him dead at 1:50 PM that same day.
However, this initial diagnosis has come under intense scrutiny. It was later revealed that the post-mortem report issued by the hospital, which cited respiratory failure due to COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) and tuberculosis (TB) as the cause of death, was issued without performing a physical post-mortem. In fact, the post-mortem was done “on paper” only, which led to further questions about the professionalism of the medical team involved.
At around 5:05 PM, after the death certificate was issued, Rohitash’s family proceeded to take him to the crematorium for his final rites. It was during the preparations for cremation that something unexpected occurred. The family noticed signs of life from Rohitash, including movement, prompting them to immediately rush him back to the hospital.
A Last Attempt for Life: Rushed Back to the Hospital
Rohitash was re-admitted to the BDK Hospital at 6:24 PM, where he was placed in the ICU for further treatment. Despite the initial signs of life, his condition remained critical, and he was soon referred to Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital in Jaipur. Tragically, before he could reach SMS Hospital, his condition worsened, and he was declared brought dead at 5:30 AM on November 22, 2024.
This incident has raised serious questions not only about the medical procedures at BDK Hospital but also about the protocols followed by healthcare professionals when diagnosing death and handling critically ill patients.
District Administration Launches Investigation
The incident caught the attention of the Jhunjhunu district administration, which launched an immediate investigation into the matter. The findings from the preliminary inquiry revealed significant negligence on the part of the doctors involved in declaring Rohitash Kumar dead without a proper physical post-mortem and without confirming his condition through more rigorous checks.
In response to this medical blunder, the District Collector of Jhunjhunu, Ramavatar Meena, confirmed that three doctors involved in the case had been suspended. The doctors facing disciplinary action include:
- Dr. Sandeep Pachar, Principal Medical Officer at BDK Hospital
- Dr. Yogesh Kumar Jakhar, Medical Officer at the Community Health Centre (CHC)
- Dr. Navneet Meel, Medical Officer at BDK Hospital
These doctors have been temporarily reassigned to different offices within the state’s Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) departments during the suspension period.
The Role of the Care Home: More Questions Raised
According to the investigation, Rohitash Kumar had been residing at the Maa Sewa Sansthan, a care home for mentally disabled individuals, located in Adarsh Nagar, Jhunjhunu, since September 2024. Authorities are now looking into the role of the care home in the incident, particularly in regard to the care Rohitash received leading up to his hospitalization.
Although the care home has yet to issue an official statement, the district administration has sent teams to investigate its operations and the handling of Rohitash’s health condition prior to his admission to the hospital. This investigation will likely examine whether the care home provided the proper medical attention and whether it played any part in the tragic sequence of events.
Public Outrage and the Call for Accountability
The news of this blunder has sparked public outrage in Rajasthan, with many people calling for a full and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Rohitash Kumar’s death. The lack of proper procedures at the government-run hospital, combined with the devastating series of events, has led to growing demands for greater accountability in India’s public healthcare system.
In addition to the investigation into the doctors involved, there are calls for systemic reforms in the way medical diagnoses and post-mortem examinations are handled, especially in government-run hospitals, where resources and training are sometimes limited.
The Aftermath: A Call for Medical Reform
The tragic death of Rohitash Kumar not only highlights individual medical negligence but also raises larger questions about healthcare practices in government hospitals. The incident underscores the need for comprehensive reforms in the medical field to ensure that such mistakes are not repeated in the future.
To avoid similar incidents, healthcare experts are urging the state government to focus on improving the following:
Accountability at all levels of the healthcare system
Medical training and protocols for diagnosing critical cases
Post-mortem examination procedures, including strict guidelines for when a post-mortem should be performed
Patient safety and ensuring that proper care is given to all individuals in critical conditions
