Chaibasa, Jharkhand, December 21, 2025: A deeply distressing incident from Jharkhand has sparked nationwide outrage after a tribal father was forced to carry the body of his four-month-old son in a plastic bag and travel nearly 70 kilometres by public bus because a government hospital failed to arrange transport for the deceased infant.
The incident took place at Chaibasa Sadar Hospital in West Singhbhum district. The child, Krishna, son of Dimba Chatomba, a resident of Baljori village under the Noamundi block, died during treatment on Friday afternoon, December 19, 2025, after battling severe illness.
According to hospital officials, Krishna was admitted on Thursday after suffering from high fever, loose motion, and breathing difficulties. Doctors said the child’s condition remained critical despite treatment. He died around 1:15 pm on Friday.
Following the death, Dimba and his family requested hospital authorities to arrange a vehicle to transport the body back to their remote village. The family waited for several hours inside the hospital premises but received no assistance.
With no ambulance or hearse provided and no clarity on when transport would arrive, Dimba was left with no option but to make arrangements himself.
With just ₹100 in his pocket, Dimba purchased a plastic bag for ₹20 from a nearby shop and placed his son’s body inside it. He used the remaining money to buy a bus ticket from Chaibasa to Noamundi, the nearest town to his village.
After reaching Noamundi, Dimba walked several kilometres carrying the bag before finally reaching Baljori village. Fellow passengers later recounted the father sitting silently on the bus, holding the bag tightly and avoiding eye contact, his grief visible but unspoken.
The image of a father forced to carry his child’s body in this manner has left many shaken.
Dr Bharti Minj, Civil Surgeon of Chaibasa, stated that the hospital does not have a dedicated ambulance for transporting dead bodies. She said the district relies on a single hearse vehicle, which was stationed at Manoharpur at the time.
Hospital officials claimed the family was asked to wait until the hearse returned. However, Dimba reportedly refused to wait due to financial constraints and the uncertainty of how long the process would take.
Officials also said doctors advised shifting the infant to MGM Medical College and Hospital in Jamshedpur earlier due to the seriousness of his condition, but the family declined because they could not afford the expenses.
Jharkhand Health Minister Irfan Ansari acknowledged the seriousness of the case and ordered a departmental inquiry into the matter.
The minister assured that responsibility would be fixed if lapses were found and that corrective steps would be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.
(Rh/ARC)
