'Dead man' comes alive while being taken for post-mortem

His wife was inconsolable, his relatives were mourning his sudden death. So, when 32-year-old Vijay Kumar Ratre 'came alive' and tried to jump out of the ambulance while being taken for post-mortem, the atmosphere changed from one of gloom to incredulous joy.

It all started with the Tikrapara police station here getting several calls from local residents that a dead body was floating in a pond in Lalpur area since several hours.

"Two policemen reached the pond and saw Ratre's wife and family members crying, and some locals consoling them for his premature death," said Lal Umed Singh, additional superintendent of police, Raipur.

Amid mourning and emotional scenes, the policemen managed to fish out the body of Ratre, a labourer, with the help of locals. They called an ambulance to send his body for post-mortem at Bhimrao Ambedkar Government Medical College and Hospital.

"As soon as Ratre was put in the ambulance, he got up and tried to jump out from the vehicle. A crowd of about 100 people, who had gathered at the spot, burst into celebrations," the police officer said.

"It was a very unusual event that the police witnessed."

Apparently, Ratre was under the influence of alcohol and was not aware of what was happening around him.

A police officer said that the policemen who were handling the case should have "applied brain before calling an ambulance as he was just unconscious".

But for a section of people who watched the developing events, it was a "miracle".

"Ratre had surely died, everyone was convinced, even the policemen. His body was not moving and responding, it was a miracle witnessed by over 100 people. I am seeking his blessings because he is not an ordinary person now," said Dilip, 21, a local.