‘I am alone’: Eight-year-old left alone to handle formalities after mother’s death at hospital, police intervene

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An eight-year-old boy was left to handle the formalities following his mother’s death at a government hospital, including the postmortem process, before police stepped in to assist him with legal procedures and the final rites.

According to the police, the child, identified as Shani, escorted his mother’s body to the mortuary for the autopsy and told hospital staff that he had no accompanying family members. His mother, Neelam, aged 40 and wife of Surendra, died during treatment at Virangana Avantibai Medical College in Etah on Thursday. At the time, her son was the only person with her.

Jalesar Circle Officer Ritesh Thakur said Neelam had been battling health complications arising from HIV infection for nearly a month. She had been staying at her parental home in Farrukhabad while undergoing treatment. As her condition deteriorated, she returned to her native village of Nagla Dheeraj, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Jethra police station, about five days ago. She was later admitted to the Etah medical college, where she passed away early Thursday.

Following her death, hospital officials informed the police, who deployed personnel to conduct the inquest and complete necessary documentation. During this period, Shani told police officers and journalists that he did not possess any contact details of relatives and was unable to seek assistance. His elder sister, Rakhi, who is 15 years old, resides with their maternal grandparents in Narayanpur village in Farrukhabad.

Villagers later helped inform Neelam’s father about her death. The police also contacted her in laws, who travelled to the village after receiving the information.

At the mortuary, Shani was seen breaking down emotionally, repeatedly stating that he was alone and had brought his mother to the hospital by himself. He also alleged that his uncles were attempting to harm him due to a land dispute.

Police said Neelam’s husband, Surendra, had died approximately eight months ago while undergoing treatment for HIV infection, and confirmed that Neelam was also HIV positive. Chief Medical Officer Dr Rajendra Prasad stated that both parents were infected with HIV. On whether the children were infected, he said this depended on whether the mother was HIV positive at the time of childbirth and that only medical tests could determine their status.

The station house officer said the police arranged all necessary provisions for Neelam’s last rites. The cremation was performed at around 1 pm in the presence of family members, villagers and police personnel.

CO Thakur said there was no immediate threat to the child’s safety, noting that the uncles reside in Delhi and returned only after learning of the death. He added that the family is extremely poor and that, with no earning member remaining, the children’s primary support now appears to be their maternal relatives.