Archive · 6 Sep 2026
Rewa Hospital Patient Declared Dead Found Breathing Before Postmortem
An 80-year-old man named Girja Prasad was very sick in a hospital in Rewa.
Hospital records incorrectly said that he had died.
Before doctors could perform a postmortem examination, his family noticed that he was breathing.
Hospital workers quickly took him back to the intensive care unit.
He was given emergency treatment and placed on a ventilator.
A medical student had earlier examined him and believed he was dead.
Officials are investigating how this unusual mistake happened.
The hospital and local authorities are gathering more information.
Eighty-year-old Girja Prasad was declared dead at Rewa Medical College despite still breathing.
Hospital records were mistakenly updated to show Prasad had died on the evening of September 4.
His family reportedly found him breathing before a postmortem or funeral could occur.
Paramedical staff moved Prasad to the critical care ICU for emergency treatment.
The Rewa collector said an MBBS Part I student had examined Prasad and pronounced him dead; Prasad was later placed on a ventilator.
- Who
- Eighty-year-old patient Girja Prasad, hospital staff, and local officials, including Rewa Collector Narendra Kumar Suryavanshi.
- What
- A critically ill patient was mistakenly declared dead but found breathing before a postmortem or funeral.
- When
- The hospital records were updated on the evening of September 4; the incident was reported on Saturday.
- Where
- Rewa Medical College in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh.
- Why
- The articles attribute the incident to an erroneous medical assessment and mistaken hospital record update.
- Patient
- Girja Prasad, aged 80
- Hospital
- Rewa Medical College
- Initial status
- Critically ill and mistakenly recorded as deceased
- Discovery
- His family found him breathing before a postmortem or funeral
- Current treatment
- Emergency care in the critical care ICU and on a ventilator
- Official response
- Rewa Collector Narendra Kumar Suryavanshi said details were being gathered
- Initial assessment
- An MBBS Part I student examined Prasad and found him apparently dead