A 25-year-old man in India narrowly avoided being cremated alive after he unexpectedly woke up on a funeral pyre moments before it was set on fire. This shocking event occurred following a doctor’s failure to conduct a proper postmortem examination.

Rohitash Kumar, who has hearing and speech difficulties, was admitted to a hospital in Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, on Thursday after falling ill from what was believed to be an epileptic seizure. However, upon arrival at the hospital, a doctor declared him dead.

Instead of performing the required postmortem to confirm the cause of death, medical staff sent Kumar’s body to the mortuary and later prepared it for cremation according to Hindu funeral customs.

Chief Medical Officer Singh explained to AFP, “A doctor had prepared the postmortem report without actually conducting the postmortem, and the body was then sent for cremation.”

Just before the funeral pyre was about to be ignited, Kumar’s body began to move. Singh noted, “Shortly before the pyre was to be lit, Rohitash’s body started to show signs of life and he was breathing.”

Kumar was rushed back to the hospital, but despite efforts to save him, he was confirmed dead on Friday, November 22.

In light of this incident, three doctors have been suspended, and the police have launched an investigation into the matter.