Puttur: Scores of people who had attended the last rites of a youth at Ichlampady of Puttur taluk are now having sleepless nights.
Ashith Poojary (24) had died of rabies a couple of days ago. An engineering graduate, Ashith who was hoping to get a job, developed health complications and died on August 28. His medical reports confirmed that he was infected with rabies.
His body was safely packed and was handed over to the family with a strict warning that the packing should not be opened. However, driven by traditions and rituals, the family opened the packed body for the customary bathing ceremony. Over 600 people had taken part in the last rites of the youth, unaware of the reason for the death.
It is only recently that the villagers got to know that Ashith had died of rabies and soon a sense of fear gripped the people who took part in his last rites. Several of the attendees have already rushed to the doctors to take the anti-rabies vaccination.
Nelyadi Government Health Centre sources have said that the rabies virus can spread if the people have contact with the body fluids like blood or saliva during the rituals.
Government Hospital Medical officers have visited the house of Ashith after the scare spread.
