3 min readBhopalAug 1, 2026 06:50 AM IST
A father watched helplessly as his 21-year-old son gasped for breath and died in his lap after the oxygen supply in the government ambulance transporting him to a hospital allegedly ran out midway in Madhya Pradesh’s Mandla district. The death has triggered allegations of gross negligence, with the district administration ordering a four-member inquiry.
The deceased, Ajit Baraiya, a resident of Sunhera Mal village under Bamhani police station limits, had been suffering from chronic kidney disease and was undergoing regular dialysis at Mandla District Hospital.
According to his family, Ajit’s condition deteriorated on July 27, following which he was taken to the Community Health Centre (CHC), Bamhani. Doctors there reportedly placed him on oxygen support before referring him to Mandla District Hospital for advanced treatment.
His family alleges that the 108 ambulance arrived nearly an hour after it was called, despite repeated requests stressing the patient’s critical condition and need for oxygen support. They further claim that although the ambulance initially had oxygen, the cylinder was exhausted during the journey, leaving Ajit gasping for breath before he died in his father’s lap.
Speaking after the incident, Ajit’s father broke down while recounting his son’s final moments.
“My son struggled for every breath until we reached Mandla and then died. If oxygen had been available, my son would still be alive. The ambulance came almost an hour after we called. I kept telling them he urgently needed oxygen. I was even ready to arrange an oxygen cylinder from Bamhani myself,” he said.
The family has also alleged that despite Ajit’s worsening condition, their request to reschedule his dialysis was not accommodated. They claim precious time was lost before he was finally referred to the district hospital.
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Mandla Collector Rahul Namdev ordered a four-member inquiry committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death. Calling the incident unfortunate, the Collector said the committee, comprising doctors and a revenue department officer, had been instructed to submit its findings at the earliest.
“There are government guidelines governing the operation of Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulances. We are examining whether all prescribed procedures were followed. If any violation of protocol or negligence is established, strict action will be taken against those responsible,” Namdev said.
Officials said the inquiry would examine not only the medical treatment provided to the patient but also the maintenance, functioning and operational protocols of the 108 ambulance service, including whether mandatory checks of oxygen cylinders were carried out before the ambulance was dispatched.