Paralakhemundi: July 1, 2019 might be just be an ordinary day for most people, but for Shiba Shankar, it was a chapter of his life, he wishes had never happened. Shiba was leading a happy life with his wife and a five-year-old daughter by working as a cook in Paralakhemundi bus terminal. However, on that fateful day, his world turned upside down after he accidentally fell into a pool of hot oil inside a large cooking vessel.
He sustained severe burn injuries on his face and the entire upper body was almost burnt in the incident. After being admitted to Berhampur City Hospital for treatment, Shiba is currently struggling for his life.
While death is inevitable, said Shiba, it is the sequence of events that followed the mishap that has shattered his desire to fight back. Shiba alleged that while it is the duty of a life partner to always stand by one's side in times of crisis, his wife took away his daughter and deserted him to die on the hospital bed due to his scarred face. Help from some voluntary activists and attendants of other patients are the only sources of assistance that is helping him buy another day in hospital. Feeling wretched over the condition of his face and body, Shiba has desperately sought permission from the administration to allow him to die.
"I don’t know if my wife fears or hates me after the mishap; so, it is better if I die. Where will I go with this face and body?" said a crestfallen Shiba.
Shiba’s wife has however refuted the allegations and said that it is Shiba who chose to part ways with her.
“I have selflessly taken care of him when he was admitted at the hospital all the while and he would not have received assistance from the hotel owner had I not pleaded. The allegations of neglect are false,” said Shiba’s wife.
An attendant of another patient who has been helping Shiba in his treatment at the hospital has urged that the administration should take necessary steps for his treatment as soon as possible.
“Shiba wants either proper treatment or euthanasia. It’s unbearable to see him in such pain. Government must take some immediate steps, said a social activist, Surya Narayan Choudhury.
When asked about Shiba’s condition, the authorities of the city hospital have assured that he would be referred to MKCG Hospital for better treatment and plastic surgery.
"We will try to book his treatment under the OSTF so that he does not have to pay anything. For better treatment, he will be moved to MKCG hospital,” said P Kurumaya, superintendent of Berhampur City Hospital.