Dharwad teen wakes up on way to his funeral

TNN

Hubballi, 20 Feb 2017: A 17-year-old boy woke up on the way to his funeral in Dharwad’s Managundi village, surprising his relatives and villagers who had presumed him dead. He was rushed to a private hospital where his condition is critical.

 

Bitten by a stray dog one month ago, Kumar Marewad, 17, had high fever last week following which he was admitted to a Dharwad hospital. As his condition deteriorated, the teenager was put on ventilator.

 

The doctors told Kumar’s relatives that he was critical and that he would not survive if life support was removed. Informing them that infection had spread in Kumar’s body, the doctors left the family to decide if they wanted to continue treatment. Later, the family decided to shift him home.

 

"We had decided to take Kumar home after doctors told us his chances of survival were bleak once taken off the ventilator," Kumar’s brother-in-law Sharanappa Naikarsaid. Noticing no body movement or breathing, Kumar’s relatives presumed him dead. They then asked the villagers to make arrangements for his funeral and headed straight to perform his last rites. Barely two kilometres from the village where the funeral was to take place, Kumar opened his eyes, moving his hands and legs and started breathing fast. Soon, he was rushed to a hospital on Gokul Road.

 

Dr Mahesh Neelakhantannavar said: "Kumar is on ventilator. We suspect he suffers from meningoencephalitis, an infection caused due to dog bite."

 

Kumar’s parents Ningappa and Manjula, daily wage labourers, said: "Kumar stopped going to school after class IX to support us. He used to work as a construction labourer. His elder brother is physically challenged. We need support for his treatment."