Rural Roads Could Save Lives: A Snakebite Tragedy

A Preventable Loss

A man’s life was tragically cut short due to a snakebite. The real culprit? The lack of a proper road to his village. This road could have allowed an ambulance to reach him in time.

The Day Everything Changed

Sukul Bhuiya, a 30-year-old man from Tola Mandarpatti in Besara village, was bitten by a poisonous snake. It happened early on a Tuesday morning while he was in the bushes near his home.

Sukul made it back home and told his family about the snakebite. But soon, he fell unconscious. His family quickly called the free 108 ambulance service for help.

The Race Against Time

The ambulance arrived within half an hour. But it couldn’t reach Sukul’s hamlet because there was no proper road. It had to wait on the main road of Besara village, about a kilometer away.

With no other options, Sukul’s cousins, Mithlesh Bharti and Vikash Bharti, carried him on a blanket. They used wooden poles to help them walk the kilometer to the ambulance. Sadly, Sukul died before they could reach it.

A Village in Mourning

Sukul, a daily wage worker, left behind a son and a daughter. Local leaders Jairam Bharti and Binod Saw visited the village after hearing about the incident. They informed the police and arranged for the body to be sent for a postmortem to Chatra Sadar Hospital.

Villagers believe that Sukul’s life could have been saved if there had been a road. The lack of a road often delays ambulances and other vehicles, leading to repeated incidents like this.

Voices from the Village

Rajesh Bharti, a villager, said, “There is not a single road to reach this hamlet from the main road. We face a lot of trouble because of this.” Another local, Mithlesh Bharti, added that leaders and government officers have promised a road many times, but nothing has happened.

A Promise for Change

Chatra subdivisional officer Jahur Alam has promised to look into the matter. He assured that a road will be built to the hamlet. He said, “The district administration is working to provide basic facilities, including roads, to far-flung areas.”

Lessons to Learn

• A man lost his life due to a snakebite and lack of a proper road.
• Ambulances couldn’t reach his hamlet in time to save him.
• Villagers had to carry him a kilometer to the main road on a blanket.
• Local leaders and government officials have promised to build a road after this tragedy.
• Better roads and infrastructure could prevent such heartbreaking incidents in the future.