Jharkhand man carries dead infant in cardboard box for 20 km after hospital ‘denies ambulance’

A man in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district carried the body of his newborn child in a cardboard box from a government hospital to his home, allegedly after being denied an ambulance, triggering an inquiry by local authorities.

Ramkrishna Hembram, a resident of Bangrasai village, said he had admitted his pregnant wife Rita Tiria to the Chakradharpur sub-divisional hospital on Thursday. She gave birth to the baby on Saturday, but the newborn died shortly after delivery.

According to Hembram, hospital staff asked the family to remove the body soon after the child’s death. He claimed that when he requested an ambulance or any vehicle to transport the body to his village in Bandgaon block, the request was allegedly refused.

The father said he then placed the infant’s body inside a cardboard box and carried it home himself, covering a distance of nearly 20 kilometres. The incident drew attention after he spoke about the ordeal publicly.

Hospital authorities, however, denied the allegation. The doctor in charge said neither the father nor any family member had requested an ambulance from the hospital. Meanwhile, the local administration has ordered an inquiry into the matter and said appropriate action will be taken after the investigation.