Bihar: Neglected Calls for Help as Elderly Man’s Body Rests on Handcart

In a heart-wrenching incident in Bihar, an elderly person’s life came to a tragic end at Araria Court Railway Station Chowk on Monday. The individual, identified as 60-year-old Ashok Mandal from Potari village in Majhua Panchayat, Forbesganj Block of Araria district was being taken from Forbesganj to Purnia for medical treatment when his health suddenly deteriorated, leading to his unfortunate demise.

Despite desperate pleas from his relatives, no vehicle came forward to assist in transporting the deceased’s body. Left with no other choice, they resorted to carrying the body on a handcart.

According to reports, Ashok Mandal’s family had brought him to Araria Court Railway Station with the intention of taking him to a nearby health center for primary treatment. However, as fate would have it, he experienced intense chest pain and succumbed to his condition right there at the station chowk.

For hours, the body lay on the road, and during this distressing time, the deceased’s wife and brother sought help from passing vehicles, hoping to find someone to aid them in transporting the body. Regrettably, their pleas went unanswered, compelling them to resort to the handcart as their last option.

Nagar Parishad member Shyam Kumar Mandal was informed of the tragic incident and promptly called for an ambulance at 102, but disappointingly, the ambulance failed to arrive.

Eventually, other family members of the deceased arrived at the scene in private vehicles and took the body to Sadar Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

Shakuntala Devi, the grieving wife of the deceased, revealed that her husband had been unwell for several days. They were on their way to Purnia by train in search of medical care, but his condition worsened during the journey, leading them to disembark at Araria Court Railway Station, where he took his last breath.

Local residents expressed their concerns, stating that even during emergencies at Araria Court Railway Station Chowk, ambulances do not arrive on time. They attributed this issue to the poor condition of the station road, which hampers the timely arrival of medical assistance.

Residents, including Mahavir Sah, Ganesh Chaudhary, Gopal Chaurasiya, Hari Prasad Sah, and Dharmendra Paswan, shared that both government and private vehicles hesitate to enter the area, exacerbating the difficulties faced during critical situations.