Tribal Family Carries Girl’s Body 10 km After Hospital Denies Ambulance Jharkhand
Sahibganj (Jharkhand): In Sahibganj district of Jharkhand, a tribal family was compelled to carry the body of a teenage girl on a cot for more than 10 kilometers after being denied an ambulance by the local hospital.
The girl, Badrin Pahadin, belonged to the 'Pahariya Janjati' community, recognized as one of the most vulnerable tribal groups in the state. She was taken in a critical condition to Sadar Hospital in Sahibganj on Monday. With no motorable road to their remote village in Lodoni Pahad under the Mandro block, her family had initially carried her on foot using a cot.
Despite their efforts, Badrin died during treatment. After her death, hospital authorities allegedly refused to provide an ambulance to transport her body home. With no other option, the family carried her body back to their village on the same cot, covering the 10-kilometer journey once again on foot.
A video showing the family carrying the body surfaced on social media on Wednesday and drew widespread public reaction.
Leader of the Opposition and Jharkhand BJP President Babulal Marandi criticized the incident, accusing the government and Health Minister Irfan Ansari of negligence. He claimed that the ambulance services had been handed over to the minister’s close associates and also alleged interference by Ansari’s minor son in hospital operations.
Marandi called the situation a clear failure of the health system and urged Chief Minister Hemant Soren to take immediate action. He demanded a thorough review of ambulance services and the overall functioning of the Health Department.
He added that this is not the first time such scenes have emerged from Jharkhand, citing repeated cases where patients and deceased individuals have been transported on cots, bicycles, or makeshift carts due to lack of basic medical transport.
"Healthcare is a basic right. Denying it to citizens, especially in such a manner, is unacceptable," Marandi stated, urging the government to implement lasting reforms.
Kanchan Chaurasiya joined Medical Dialogues in 2025 as a Media and Marketing Intern. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Arts from Delhi University and has completed certifications in digital marketing. She has a strong interest in health news, content creation, hospital updates, and emerging trends. At Medical Dialogues, Kanchan manages social media and also creates web stories to enhance mobile content reach and audience engagement.