Mangaluru: Yenepoya Medical College Hospital, Deralakatte, has issued an official statement dismissing as false the viral news reports claiming that a patient declared dead by the hospital had ‘woken up’ during cremation.
Fake news claims
According to multiple online portals, including Dailyhunt, Megamedia TV 24×7, and a few social media pages, a 69-year-old man named Raghunath Gatty was allegedly declared dead by doctors at Yenepoya Hospital on 19 October. The reports further claimed that the man, whose body had been kept in a freezer overnight, began moving during cremation at Kumbla the following morning.
Actual facts stated by the hospital
Refuting these claims, the hospital clarified that the patient’s actual name was Ramanatha Gatty, son of Kariyappa Gatty from Kanchikatte, Kumble in Kasaragod district. He was admitted to Yenepoya Medical College Hospital on 14 October 2025 at 5.59 a.m., following a sudden onset of paralysis and loss of consciousness.
Doctors placed the patient on artificial ventilation and administered appropriate medical care. On 19 October 2025, his relatives decided to discharge him against medical advice (AMA) despite being informed about his critical condition. The hospital emphasised that the patient was still alive when he left in an ambulance arranged by the family, equipped with an oxygen mask to maintain respiration.
“The claim that the patient was kept in a freezer at Yenepoya Hospital is entirely false and imaginary,” the statement read.
Hospital appeals for responsible reporting
The hospital’s administration expressed concern that the spread of such misinformation damages the reputation, prestige, and trust built by the institution over the years. The statement urged media outlets and social media users to verify facts before publishing or sharing unverified claims.
The clarification, signed by the Medical Superintendent of Yenepoya Medical College Hospital, was dated 22 October 2025.