Indian teenager, 17, wakes up on way to his own funeral

Presumed dead: The boy was on the way to his own funeral when he woke up
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Jamie Bullen21 February 2017

A 17-year-old Indian boy woke up on the way to his own funeral, shocking relatives who presumed he was dead.

Kumar Marewad opened his eyes, moved his legs and started breathing fast just 2km from where the ceremony was due to take place.

The boy was then rushed to a hospital where he was placed back on life support.

He was originally taken to hospital with a severe fever weeks after he was bitten by a stray dog in Managundi village in the Dharwad district of Karnataka.

Doctors warned the boy was fighting for his life and would not survive if his life support was switched off, The Times of India reported.

Amid deepening fears for his survival, the boy was later moved home after experts informed his family a life-threatening infection had spread throughout his body.

Sharanappa Naikar, the teenager’s brother-in-law, told the Times of India: "We had decided to take Kumar home after doctors told us his chances of survival were bleak once taken off the ventilator.”

Once at home, relatives began making funeral arrangements after they noticed no body movements or breathing which led them to presume the boy had died.

But on the way to his service, the boy began to move and started breathing again.

Dr Mahesh Neelakhantannavar told the newspaper: "Kumar is on ventilator.

"We suspect he suffers from meningoencephalitis, an infection caused due to dog bite. "

The boy’s parents, Ningappa and Manjula, said: "Kumar stopped going to school after class IX to support us. He used to work as a construction labourer.

"His elder brother is physically challenged. We need support for his treatment."

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