Father seeks death for bed-ridden son

Hardoi, Apr 13 (UNI) A crestfallen man in this central Uttar Pradesh district has written to the President and Chief Justice of India, seeking mercy killing of his only son, bed-ridden for the last seven years.

Struck by abject poverty caused by the mysterious ailment of their teenaged son Gufran, Bande Raza and Shabina in Kanhipurwa village have sought death for their doting son, to save him and the family from further sufferings.

Talking to UNI here today, Raza said he has written letters to CJI and President A P J Abdul Kalam on April 10, requesting them to grant legal right to end their son's life who was not responding to any treatment for the last seven years.

''We are no longer able to bear the pain of Gufran, who has become a living dead and expenditure incurred on his treatment has seen the family comprising on three daughters, ending up in a hut in place of our big house,'' Raza claimed.

''Our shop and house besides other valuables have been sold for his treatment and we have nothing left to carry on his treatment,'' he added.

The dejected parents had even sought state government help in the past, which was delivered in form of a minister paving their son's admission at the King George Medical University, but inability to meet the costly treatment there saw Gufran, being shown the doors of the premier medical institution, Raza added.

At present, a humane private practioner was treating the mysteriously ill teenager for free. ''But for how long, questioned Bande Raza, crying for help to save not only his son but slowly starved family.

The only source of income for the family is grease painting job of Bande Raza, which is hardly paying, Shabina said.

Soon after Raza dashed off the letters, the district authoroities have sprung into action and have asked the Red Cross Society to arrange for the best possible treatment of Gufran.

Red Cross Society secretary Alok Srivastava said that on the directive of DM K Ram Mohan Rao, Gufran has been admitted to the District Hospital, where his condition will be monitored for three days. Following this, if the doctors recommend for specialised treatment, Red Cross will make all arrangements for the best possible treatment of the teenager, Mr Srivastava said.

Only one country in the world, The Netherlands, has legalised the practice of Euthanasia -- mercy killing.

UNI XC-ARS SB RS1627