Presumed dead, 17-year-old boy wakes up on his way to funeral

In a rather surprising turn of events, a 17-year-old boy who worked as a construction labourer, woke up on the way to his funeral in Managundi village in Dharwad. He was rushed to a private hospital where his condition is said to be critical.

The teen, Kumar Marewad, was bitten by a stray dog one month ago and was down with high fever. Around last week, he was admitted to a Dharwad hospital. As his condition started deteriorating, Marewad was put on ventilator. Seeing his condition, the doctors informed his relatives that he was critical and the infection has spread in the body. The doctors added that his chances of survival are slim if life support was to be removed.

The family then decided to shift the teen home. "We had decided to take Kumar home after doctors told us his chances of survival were bleak once taken off the ventilator," Kumar's brother-in-law Sharanappa Naikar told Times of India.

Once Marewad was taken home, the relatives didn't notice any body movement or breathing, and presumed him to be dead. Dejected, they started preparing for his funeral. The villagers were asked to make arrangements for his funeral the family headed straight to perform his last rites. As the funeral procession was on the way, Marewad opened his eyes and started moving his hands and legs and breathing rapidly. He was then immendiately rushed to hospital on Gokul road.

Dr Mahesh Neelakhantannavar said TOI, "Kumar is on ventilator. We suspect he suffers from meningoencephalitis, an infection caused due to dog bite. "

Marewad's parents Ningappa and Manjula are daily wage labourers. They said Kumar stopped going to school after class IX to support the family. He used to work as a construction labourer. His elder brother is physically challenged and that they need money to support them.