Tantrik tries to bring dead woman to life inside Bargarh hospital

SAMBALPUR: A man was seen trying to resurrect a 40-year-old woman, suspected to have died of snake-bite, within the premises of Padampur sub-divisional headquarters hospital (SDH) in Bargarh district on Sunday.


The deceased was identified as Saptasheela Bhoi of Changria village under Talpali gram panchayat in Gaesilat block.

Reports said Saptasheela was brought to Padampur SDH by her family on the suspicion that she had been bitten by a poisonous snake . She was declared brought dead and her body was sent for an autopsy. The family took the body near the postmortem building but reportedly called a 'tantrik' instead to bring Saptasheela back to life.

A number of villagers gathered outside the postmortem building as the 'tantrik' chanted mantras near the body.

When his efforts came to nought, he told the bereaved family that the woman could have been saved if they had called him earlier.

Saptasheelas husband, Amruta Bhoi, 50, said, "We brought her to the hospital after a snake bit her. The doctor told us that she had already died. We called the tantrik to see if he could help."

Saroj Kumar Seth, a doctor of the SDH, said, "The woman was brought to the hospital at 5.30 am but she had died by then. Though the family told us that she had been bitten by a snake, there was no bite mark on her body. She had a swelling on her right palm. I sent the body for autopsy."

Asked about the tantrik, chief district medical officer of Bargarh, Nanda Kishore Padhee, said, "It is a government hospital. Everybody has access to it. How can the hospital staff know who is coming to do what?" Sub-collector (Padampur) Tanmaya Daruan, though said, "An inquiry will be held." Meanwhile, a case of unnatural death has been registered.