Man waits with wife's body outside Maharani Laxmibai Medical College as family lacks money for ambulance
A distressed labourer from the Orchha area sat for hours on Friday with his wife's body in the parking area outside Maharani Laxmibai Medical College, Jhansi, after doctors declared her dead and he said he had no money to arrange a hired ambulance to take the body home. The woman's around eight-year-old daughter wept beside the stretcher, pleading for her mother to wake up, according to reports from the scene.
The husband, identified as Rahul Adivasi and living in Nakta village near Orchha in Madhya Pradesh, said his wife Ramwati had been ill for about 15 days and was referred to the Jhansi medical college after initial treatment at a community health centre in Orchha. Rahul said he reached the hospital in an auto-rickshaw after the Orchha facility advised transfer.
"There was no money at home. When my wife's condition suddenly worsened, I could not arrange any money either. I thought that since it was a government hospital, there would be no expenses. But the doctor told me to hire an ambulance to take the body home," Rahul said.
According to accounts from the hospital vicinity, after Ramwati was declared dead the family did not have funds to pay for a rented ambulance or hearse. Rahul placed the body on a stretcher and sat in the parking area near the emergency department. He remained there for around two hours before a police constable noticed the family and intervened.
- Family: Rahul (husband), Ramwati (deceased), Vijay (son, 20), Rakesh (son, 15), Nandini (daughter, ~8)
- Location: Parking area outside Maharani Laxmibai Medical College, Jhansi (emergency ward entrance)
- Assistance: A constable named Ajay alerted a volunteer organisation; the group's treasurer arranged free transport
Police and local volunteers later arranged for an ambulance from a Rajaram Volunteer Organisation to convey the body, free of charge, to the family's village about 16 km away. The organisation's treasurer told investigators that when they visited the village they found the family's condition to be deplorable and decided to help.
| Time/Sequence | Event |
|---|---|
| Morning, Friday | Family arrives at Maharani Laxmibai Medical College from Orchha; woman declared dead |
| Following 1–2 hours | Family waits in hospital parking; husband lacks money for ambulance |
| After ~2 hours | Constable Ajay alerts volunteer group; free ambulance arranged to transport body home |
The incident has drawn attention to the difficulties faced by daily-wage labourers and marginalised families when a death occurs in a health facility, particularly where immediate funds are needed to transport the deceased. Rahul told reporters that both he and his wife worked as labourers and the family's finances were meagre.
Hospital sources at the emergency block confirmed that the woman was declared dead on arrival. They said routine procedures require families to arrange removal of the body; however, the hospital did not provide a statement on whether any interim assistance was offered while the family awaited help.
Local volunteers and police officials said such interventions are often ad hoc, depending on the availability of personnel and non-government groups. The Rajaram Volunteer Organisation's action in this case enabled the family to take the body home to their village near Orchha without paying transport charges.
The episode highlights gaps in formal arrangements at some government hospitals for assisting indigent families with post-death logistics. Social welfare activists say clearer protocols and a contingency fund or hospital-run mortuary conveyance could prevent similar distress.
For now, the family has been able to arrange the last rites with the help of volunteers and police. Hospital authorities and district officials have not issued a direct response in the public domain about steps to prevent recurrence.
