Kerala tribal woman’s body carried in auto-rickshaw in Wayanad as officials fail to provide ambulance

An elderly tribal woman's dead body was taken to a burial ground in an autorickshaw in the Edavaka panchayat of Kerala's Wayanad on Monday. The incident happened after the tribal department couldn't arrange an ambulance for the family on time. The incident sparked protests in the area as people demanded strict action against the officials behind the lapse, The Times of India reported.

Chundamma, an 80-year-old woman from Veetichal tribal hamlet, died Sunday night due to prolonged illness. The village panchayat president, Ahammed Kutty, told The Indian Express that he had informed the tribal department in advance that they would need an ambulance the next day. 

The family waited for the ambulance till 4 p.m., and had no option but to take the dead body in an autorickshaw to the burial ground located 3.5 km away.

“They…waited till 4 pm for the ambulance. As there was no ambulance, the family took the body in an autorickshaw to the burial ground 3.5 km away,” IE quoted Kutty as saying.

Incident sparks protest

The villagers have alleged apathy by the tribal development department. After the incident,  tribal leaders protested against the department's alleged apathy. They are demanding strict action against the officials responsible for the lapses. 

According to TOI, the Congress-led United Democratic Front members blockaded the tribal development office at Mananthavady to protest the incident. They are alleging tribal department officials failed to arrange an ambulance. The department is likely to take action against the local tribal promoter. 

Ahammed Kutty also alleged that the department kept the locals in the dark about the unavailability of the ambulance, so they could not make alternative arrangements. This is not the first incident in a tribal area where people are forced to take such actions in the absence of an ambulance. 

In September, two men were allegedly forced to carry their 80-year-old sick father to hospital in Karnataka's Tumkur district due to unavailability of an ambulance. However, the patient succumbed before reaching the hospital.