Jharkhand’s healthcare woes hit a new low in West Singhbhum when a devastated father had to trek home with his stillborn son’s body packed in a cardboard box. The incident in Chai Basa’s Karai Kela area has sparked widespread condemnation of the state’s medical infrastructure.
Rita Tiriya from Bangrasai village was admitted to Chakradharpur hospital amid labor pains. On Saturday, she gave birth to a lifeless newborn, plunging the family into sorrow. Expecting support in their hour of grief, they were met with indifference.
No ambulance was arranged to carry the infant’s remains back to the village. Ram Krishna Hembram, the father, heartbreakingly boxed up his baby’s body and bore it home on foot. Eyewitnesses described the scene as gut-wrenching, fueling anger among locals who decry the hypocrisy of government health schemes.
‘Crores are spent on promises, but basics like an ambulance are missing,’ fumed villagers. The hospital administration insists the family didn’t ask for transport, a claim that has only intensified scrutiny. An investigation is now underway, but questions linger: Why no proactive help for such cases?
Echoing past scandals, this mirrors a December 2025 event in Nawamundi where another father carried his four-month-old’s body in a bag. These recurring failures expose deep-rooted issues in ambulance availability, staff training, and empathy. Jharkhand’s health department faces mounting pressure to overhaul services, ensuring dignified handling of tragedies. Until then, families like Hembram’s bear the brunt of bureaucratic neglect.