Mercy killing petition rendered useless following boy's death

Hardoi, Apr 15 (UNI) Gufran, whose father had petitioned the President and Chief Justice of India (CJI) seeking mercy killing for his son paralysed for the last seven years by a mysterious ailment, died last night at the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) in Lucknow.

The body of the nineteen-year-old boy was brought here this morning and taken to a local graveyard.

The only son of Bande Raza and Shabina in Kanhipurwa village here could not receive proper medical attention due to abject poverty and remained bed-ridden.

On April 10, Mr Raza had written letters to President A P J Abdul Kalam and the CJI requesting them to grant permission to end his son's life, since he was not responding to treatment.

After the media highlighted his cause, Gufran was admitted to the district hospital by the administration and later referred to the SGPGIMS on Friday.

''We are no longer able to bear the pain of Gufran, who is almost has been lying almost like a vegetable for the last seven years. His medical expenses are taking a toll on the family comprising three daughters,'' Mr Raza had earlier told UNI.

The family had to sell off their house and move to a modest accomodation to meet the medical bills of Gufran.

The practice of mercy killing, technically termed Euthanasia is legalised only in the Netherlands.

UNI XC-VS ARB HS2120