In a startling incident in Berhampur, India, a 52-year-old woman, thought to be deceased due to severe burns, unexpectedly regained consciousness just before her cremation was set to begin.
The woman, identified as Bujji Aamma, had been severely injured in a house fire on February 1, suffering burns over more than half of her body. She received immediate medical attention at MKCG Medical College and Hospital.
Despite receiving treatment, Aamma’s condition worsened following her discharge from the hospital. Her family, burdened by financial constraints, was unable to secure additional medical assistance.
On February 12, Aamma showed no signs of life, including breathing or eye movement. This led her husband, 54-year-old Sibaram Palo, and their community to start planning her cremation. Palo informed the Times of India, “We thought she was dead and informed others in the locality to arrange a hearse van to transport the body to the cremation ground.”
While en route to the cremation, K Chiranjibi, a 50-year-old woman who was in the hearse with Aamma, reported that Aamma opened her eyes and responded to their words just as they were preparing the funeral pyre. This left all present in a state of disbelief.
Khetrabashi Sahu, the hearse driver, recounted the unusual task of returning Aamma to her home, alive.
This incident highlights a significant procedural gap in the local community: the absence of a required death certificate before conducting last rites. This oversight contributed to the premature declaration of Aamma’s death.
While such incidents are rare, they are not unheard of. For instance, an 82-year-old woman on Long Island, New York, had a similar experience in February 2023 after being declared dead. This incident, along with others, including a notable case in Iowa, has led to investigations and demands for a review of the standards used in medical and legal declarations of death.
Aamma underwent treatment at MKCG Medical College and Hospital. MKCG superintendent Suchitra Dash stated that it took approximately three hours for their staff to dress the burn wounds and provide the necessary medication to the patient.
