‘Palanquin’ to ‘pyre’: the 7-km final journey of elderly Himachal man who died after being carried through snow to hospital
Shiv Lal’s family claimed they had repeatedly urged officials to clear the snowbound road in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district, but no action was taken.
Shiv Lal’s body had to be carried on shoulders for almost 7 km through nearly 2-ft-deep snow. (Photo by special arrangement) Four days after 75-year-old Shiv Lal was carried from his snowbound Challai village in Himachal Pradesh on a makeshift palanquin to access medical treatment, he returned home the same way—this time on a “funeral pyre” borne on the shoulders of villagers for nearly 7 km through snow.
Shiv Lal, a resident of Challai village in the Balchowki subdivision of Mandi district, died during treatment at Indira Gandhi Medical College & Hospital (IGMC), Shimla, on Sunday afternoon. His body was cremated on Monday morning.
His nephew Krishan Thakur said, “The family brought the body by vehicle from Shimla to Gada Bushaini, the nearest motorable point. From Bada Gushaini to our village, Challai, we had to carry the pyre on our shoulders for almost 7 km through nearly 2-ft-deep snow. Authorities, including the Public Works Department, are yet to clear the main link road,” he said.
Thakur added that in the past four days, officials had managed to clear only about 1 km of the road, while a 4–5 km stretch connecting the village to Gada Bushaini remained buried under snow.
Farmesh Rajput, another relative, said the tragedy reflected the harsh realities of remote mountain regions. “Far-flung villages remain cut off during heavy snowfall and monsoon. We hope authorities will clear the road soon so that no one else faces delays in getting medical treatment,” he said.
Rajput was among others gathered at Shiv Lal’s home for mourning.
Challai falls under the Seraj Assembly constituency, represented by Leader of the Opposition and former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur.
Shiv Lal, who never married, was cared for by his extended family. His health deteriorated last week, but relatives could not immediately take him to a hospital because the village was cut off by heavy snowfall.
On February 5, villagers carried him on a makeshift palanquin to Gada Bushaini. From there, he was rushed in a private vehicle to a government hospital in Kullu, then referred to Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Government Medical College, Nerchowk, and subsequently to IGMC, Shimla, the same day. He reached IGMC around 2 am on February 6 in critical condition.
Shiv Lal had multiple ailments
Dr Balbir Verma, head of the Department of Medicine at IGMC, had told The Indian Express, “Shiv Lal was suffering from multiple ailments. “His heart was not pumping properly, his lungs were not functioning well, his blood pressure was very low, and medical reports suggested kidney failure.”
Krishan Thakur said medical reports had indicated more than 80 per cent heart blockage along with severe cold exposure. “He remained unconscious after admission and was on a liquid diet,” he said, adding that timely road access might have improved his chances.
The family claimed they had repeatedly urged officials to clear the snowbound road, but no action was taken.
PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh had acknowledged the issue and said that directions had been issued to clear all link roads in the Balchowki area.
“I will personally seek feedback,” he said.
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