Ashok Rana's 13-year journey with his vegetative son Harish came to a bittersweet end when the Supreme Court allowed the withdrawal of medical treatment. Harish fell from the fourth floor in 2013 and lay bedridden, dependent on feeding tubes for nutrition and hydration.
Ashok said, 'As a father, this is extremely painful. But on humanitarian grounds, this is the best we can do for my son.'
Harish was interested in fitness and decided to take part in a bodybuilding competition to help fund his education. The tuition fees was ₹1 lakh and his hostel fees was about ₹60,000.
The family spent ₹7 lakh on treatment, including Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), but nothing worked. They then approached the court, hoping to apply the guidelines for withdrawing medical treatment laid down in the Common Cause vs Union of India case.
Ashok thanked the top court and said the life-sustaining treatment will be withdrawn, and Harish will be provided with appropriate palliative and comfort care.
