Watch: Woman In Labour Taken Across Swollen River In Bihar Village, Exposing Gaps In Rural Infrastructure
Kajal Devi was taken across the Pataro River on foot, as there is no bridge over it, and the nearest hospital was miles away.
Published : August 1, 2025 at 8:42 PM IST
Jamui: A pregnant woman in Bihar was forced to cross a river with the help of her relatives due to the absence of a bridge in the rain-battered district.
As the people risked their lives to carry the woman across a swollen river, the heart-wrenching scenes exposed the stark reality of life without basic infrastructure in one of India’s most flood-prone regions.
Kajal Devi, a native of Sundari village in the Chakai assembly constituency, went into labour on Tuesday night. “With no bridge over the overflowing Pataro River and the nearest hospital miles away, we had no choice but to wait helplessly through the night as she cried in pain,” said Santosh Das, her husband.
“In the morning, when her pain became intense, we decided to cross the river on foot to board the ambulance despite the river’s strong current,” he said.
The family informed their relatives and neighbours, who formed a human chain to help Kajal cross. A video of the incident shows villagers clutching each other and the pregnant woman as they slowly made their way through the knee-to-waist-deep water. “At one point, I thought we’d be swept away. We were terrified but determined to help Kajal reach the hospital,” said a local who helped carry her.
After the terrific ordeal, Kajal thankfully survived and was admitted to a hospital. “She has not yet delivered and is currently staying at a relative’s home near the hospital,” per relatives, who added that she won’t return to the village until after the baby is born.
While the residents of Jamui overcame the tough situation with courage, the episode is not new to the area, as people from at least half a dozen villages wade through dangerous waters during emergencies due to the absence of a bridge over the Pataro River.
The rainy season turns an already treacherous journey in Bardhati Sono, Karmatand, Kaushmaha, and Dhuthiya villages into a life-threatening one.
“We’ve been demanding a bridge for years. Videos and promises are not enough. Women in labour and patients should not have to risk death just to reach a hospital,” said Rahul Singh, a local youth leader.
Chakai MLA Sumit Singh, also a minister in the Bihar government, has often promised to transform the area, famously, but nothing substantial has happened so far, locals alleged.
“He promised to make Chakai ‘the Chandigarh of Bihar’ and build a network of bridges. But the reality on the ground tells a different story,” Singh said. “Even basic healthcare and electricity are out of reach for many villages. Chakai is still not a subdivision, and remote areas have been left behind,” he added.
This is not the first time such a dangerous situation has arisen. Many families face it often whenever someone needs treatment in a hospital. Early this year, a similar incident took place when a critically ill man died after his family carried him for hours on a cot through muddy roads and rivers, only to reach the hospital too late.
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