Indian man found alive in morgue now cremated

NEW DELHI, India — An Indian man mistakenly declared dead after a road accident only to be found still breathing in a hospital morgue freezer has been cremated after succumbing to his injuries, relatives said Wednesday.

Srikesh Kumar suffered critical injuries after a speeding motorbike hit him last week and was declared dead on arrival at a hospital in Moradabad, east of the capital New Delhi.

His body was placed in the morgue freezer until his family arrived six hours later, when they discovered him unresponsive but still breathing.

The 45-year-old was shifted to a hospital ward but passed away on Tuesday evening after slipping into coma due to a brain injury.

"He died last night... and his body has been handed over to his family," district medical officer Shiv Singh told AFP.

Kumar's brother told AFP that the deceased was cremated late Wednesday.

Friday's discovery sparked a hospital probe, and Singh said the investigation had determined Kumar was in a state of "suspended animation" when he was declared dead.

"It seems there was no negligence on part of the doctors but we are still investigating," he added. — Agence France-Presse