Daijiworld News Network – Mangalore (VM), Pics by Dayanand Kukkaje

Mangalore, Mar 19: ‘Life is pleasant, death is peaceful. It’s the transition that’s troublesome,’ said Russian-born American Jewish author and biochemist Isaac Asimov. But for a family in Kumpala village the transition from life to death of one of its member put them into mass hysteria as they waited for the dead man to come alive.

The bizarre incident, where the family waited over a corpse for three days, came to light on Friday, March 17 when the police admitted four of the family to the hospital.

On Thursday March 16, Inas Viegas (65), an alcoholic fell ill. The family members, believers of a sect, instead of giving him medication, started praying claiming he was consumed by evil spirit. Due to lack of medical attention Inas breathed his last. The family believing that he would come to life on the third day after the evil spirit was exorcised prayed ceaselessly.

His wife Hilda (48), children Praveen (24), Laveena (23) and Vinith Priya (21) began praying without food and water. Their prayer sessions which stretched on for hours and hours left the family fatigued. Suspecting something strange happening in the house, the neighbours informed the police, who found the family unconscious without food and water.

The police admitted the four to a hospital at Derlakatte and now they are recuperating at the Psychiatric ward. The death of the man had hauled the family into a mass hysteria.However, the four insisted not to bury the deceased saying he would come alive in three days.