08 March,2011 08:03 AM IST | | Astha Saxena
Parents won't give up on their daughter who is in coma after a massive accident
For Delhi's Pratap Singh (65) taking care of his comatose daughter Janaki (32) is his only motivation to live. Nearly four years ago, Janaki was travelling from Rampur in UP to their home at Mayur Vihar, Phase-1 in East Delhi with her husband, mother- in law and brother-in law, when she met with a massive accident.
Our daughter, Janaki:u00a0Janaki Kayal with Pratap Singh (father) and
Mohani Devi (mother) at her residence in New Delhi PIC/Rajeev Tyagi
Janaki was the only one to survive. Her head was fractured and she suffered brain damage. Since then, she has been bed-ridden and in a state of coma.
As she lost her in-laws in the accident, her parents have been looking after her. The elderly couple says it's heartbreaking for them to see their young Janaki lying lifeless in bed. "It was the worst day of my life when my daughter met with that accident. Just after two years of her marriage, she lost her husband and his
family. But the worst part is that she has to live with this pain all her life," said a sad Singh who is a retired officer from Fertilizer Corporation of India.
But Singh's family still has hope . They live with the faith that their daughter would come back to life someday soon. "As long as I live I will do whatever it takes to keep her alive. We still believe that one day she will suddenly get up and speak to us as if nothing happened," said Mohani Devi, Janaki's mother.
Now her parents are dependent on their younger daughter Nisha, who is working at Max Hospital. Janaki's monthly medical expenditure amounts to Rs 22,000. "Our younger daughter is looking after Janaki's expenditure. She is also about to get married but right now her sister is her priority," added Singh.
"Families are trapped, as chances of the patient's condition improving are negligible. They cannot kill their daughter come what may. Some family member has to spend time and money to look after the patient. But the sad part is that, it is almost next to impossible to improve the condition of such patients," said Dr Aditya Gupta, Senior Consultant, Neurosurgery, Medanta Medicity.
What is Euthanasia?
Euthanasia refers to the practice of ending a life in a manner which relieves pain and suffering. The precise definition of euthanasia is 'a deliberate intervention undertaken with the express intention of ending a life, to relieve intractable suffering'.
Euthanasia is categorised in different ways, which include voluntary, non-voluntary, or involuntary and active or passive. Euthanasia is usually used to refer to active euthanasia, and in this sense, euthanasia is usually considered to be criminal homicide, but voluntary, passive euthanasia is widely non-criminal.
Passive euthanasia: entails the withholding of common treatments, such as antibiotics, necessary for the continuance of life.
Active euthanasia: entails the use of lethal substances or forces to kill and is the most controversial means.
The judgement
In a much-awaited verdict, the Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a plea for mercy killing on behalf of a 60-year-old nurse, living in a vegetative state for the last 37 years in a Mumbai hospital after a brutal sexual assault. A bench of justices Markandey Katju and Gyan Sudha Mishra dismissed the plea filed on behalf of KEM hospital nurse Aruna Ramachandra Shanbaug, saying that while active euthanasia was illegal, yet "passive euthanasia" can be permissible in exceptional circumstances. The apex court said that as per the facts and circumstances of Aruna's case, medical evidence and other material suggest that the victim need not be subjected to euthanasia. The bench, however, said since there is no law presently in the country on euthanasia, mercy killing of terminally ill patient, "under passive euthanasia doctrine can be resorted to in exceptional cases." The plea for Aruna's mercy killing had been made by writer Pinki Virani.
The backstory
A former KEM ward boy, Sohanlal Walmiki had raped Aruna Shanbaug, a nurse at the KEM Hospital as revenge for complaints against him. Aruna was 24 then. In 1973, Sohanlal entered the basement at KEM, when Aruna was changing, strangulating her with a dog chain, cutting off oxygen supply to the brain. Since Aruna was menstruating at the time, he sodomised her, which means he raped her anally. There is a mystery about Sohanlal who was a free man after six years, since he was not tried for rape but robbery. Some reports state he could be working in another hospital. Some reports state he is dead.u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
