A grief-stricken mother carries her son on her hip as she makes her way to an ambulance after the boy was pulled out of a pond in Keonjhar district on Wednesday, hoping he could be saved. (DC image)

 A woman was forced to carry her son on her hip after an ambulance allegedly failed to reach their village following the minor’s drowning in Odisha’s Keonjhar district on Wednesday.

The incident was reported from Gundiabhadi Sahi under Patana police station limits.

The deceased boy reportedly slipped and fell into a pond while he had gone there to attend nature’s call.

After being alerted, family members rushed to the spot, pulled the boy out of the water and called an ambulance to take him to a nearby hospital.

However, the ambulance could not reach the village as a bridge over a nearby canal had reportedly been washed away. With the vehicle unable to proceed further, the boy’s mother carried him on her hip for some distance in an attempt to get him to the ambulance.

The boy was subsequently placed on a cot and carried towards the ambulance. He was then rushed to a hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.

The incident has raised questions over road connectivity and emergency healthcare access in the remote area. The ordeal of the family has also highlighted the difficulties faced by villagers during medical emergencies when damaged infrastructure prevents ambulances from reaching their homes.

No response was immediately available from the concerned government hospital officials or the block administration regarding the incident.

Tags: