Harish Rana’s Final Moments With His Family

Harish Rana’s family gathered around his bed before he was taken to AIIMS Delhi, where doctors began the process of withdrawing life support.

A member of the Brahma Kumaris applied a tilak on his forehead while speaking to him.

“Forgive everyone. Apologise to everyone. It is time to go now,” she said, placing her hand on his head.

Rana’s mother sat beside him as other family members stood around the bed.

The family had cared for him at home in Ghaziabad for years before the Supreme Court allowed the procedure.

What Passive Euthanasia Means

Passive euthanasia refers to withdrawing or withholding medical treatment that keeps a patient alive.

This may include stopping ventilators, feeding tubes or other forms of life-sustaining medical support when recovery is not possible.

It is different from active euthanasia, where a doctor administers medication to cause death. Active euthanasia remains illegal in India.

ALSO READ: Who Is Harish Rana?

The Accident That Led To 13 Years In Bed

Harish Rana was a student at Panjab University in 2013 when he fell from the fourth floor and suffered severe brain injuries.

He remained in a vegetative state after the incident.

Doctors used a tracheostomy tube to help him breathe and a gastrojejunostomy tube to provide nutrition.

His parents continued medical care and treatment for more than a decade.

ALSO READ: When Can Life Support Be Withdrawn In India?

Why The Family Approached The Supreme Court

After years without improvement in his condition, Rana’s parents approached the Supreme Court seeking permission to withdraw life support.

They argued that continuing treatment would only extend a condition from which doctors said recovery was unlikely.

The court examined medical reports and the circumstances before deciding on the request.

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What The Court Said

A bench of Justice J B Pardiwala and Justice K V Viswanathan allowed the withdrawal of life support.

The court recorded that Rana had lived for years without the ability to communicate and that his family had continued to care for him during that time.

The judges also placed on record their appreciation for the family’s care and support through the years.

Doctors at AIIMS Delhi are now carrying out the process of withdrawing life support in accordance with medical guidelines.

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