Etah: Eight-year-old boy handles mother’s last rites formalities
An eight-year-old boy was left alone at an Etah hospital after his mother died during treatment. He arranged her postmortem by himself until police stepped in to complete legal formalities and ensure her last rites
Etah (UP): An eight-year-old boy found himself alone at a hospital as he arranged the postmortem examination of his mother, who died of an HIV-related infection, until local police stepped in to help him with legal formalities and the last rites.
Shani accompanied his mother’s body to the morgue for the autopsy, telling officials he had no one else with him, police said.
Neelam (40), wife of Surendra, died during treatment at Virangana Avantibai Medical College here on Thursday. At the time of her death, only her minor son Shani was with her, police said.
According to Jalesar Circle Officer (CO) Ritesh Thakur, Neelam had been suffering from complications caused by HIV infection for nearly a month and was staying at her parental home in Farrukhabad for treatment.
As her condition deteriorated, she returned to her native village, Nagla Dheeraj, under Jethra police station limits five days ago and was later admitted to the Etah medical college, where she succumbed during treatment early Thursday.
Hospital officials informed the police, following which personnel were deputed to conduct inquest proceedings and complete other legal formalities. The boy told police and mediapersons that he did not have the contact number of any relative and was unable to reach out for help. His elder sister, Rakhi (15), lives at their maternal grandparents’ home in Farrukhabad’s Narayanpur village.
Later, through villagers, Neelam’s father was informed, while police also alerted her in-laws, who reached the village after receiving the news.
At the morgue, Shani broke down, repeatedly saying he was alone and had brought his mother by himself. He also alleged that his uncles wanted to harm him over a land dispute.
Police confirmed that Neelam’s husband, Surendra, had died around eight months ago while undergoing treatment for HIV infection, and that Neelam was also HIV-positive.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Rajendra Prasad said both husband and wife were infected with HIV. On whether the children were infected, he said it depended on whether the mother was HIV-positive during childbirth and that only tests could confirm their status.
The station house officer said all necessary arrangements for Neelam’s last rites were made by the police. The cremation was performed around 1 pm in the presence of family members, villagers and police personnel.
CO Thakur dismissed any threat to the child’s life, stating that the uncles live in Delhi and had returned only after receiving news of the death. He said the family is extremely poor and, with no earning member left, the children’s only support appears to be their maternal relatives.