A 37-day-old baby whose mother had recently died was being breastfed by hospital nurse officer Merin Benny. The incident took place while the infant's mother, an Assam native named Ekadashi Mali, was undergoing an autopsy. Ekadashi had been admitted to the hospital on Tuesday night after experiencing severe vomiting. Tragically, she did not survive, leaving her baby daughter, Riya Burman, in a state of distress and confusion.
The baby's cries echoed through the room, adding to the already heavy atmosphere as relatives struggled to console her. Amidst the chaos, Merin, a mother herself to a one-year-old, was deeply moved by the infant's desperate cries. She saw the helpless baby and instinctively thought of her own child.
"Upon hearing the baby's cry, my heart trembled, and my own child's face came to mind. That's when I decided to breastfeed," Merin recounted.
Without hesitation, Merin approached the grieving relatives, who were standing beside Ekadashi's body. She offered to breastfeed the hungry infant, bringing immediate relief to the baby and comfort to the distressed family members.
Merin's spontaneous act of kindness drew praise and admiration from everyone present. Dr. Jamal Ahmad, Deputy Superintendent of Kasaragod General Hospital, commended her for the exemplary gesture. He noted that Merin's actions provided crucial support at a time of unimaginable loss for the family.
Riya Burman was born on May 5 at Kannur Government Medical College Hospital in Ekadashi Mali. She was Rajesh Burman's wife, and he now had the difficult responsibility of raising their newborn daughter by himself. The incident happened while the Assamese family was in Kasaragod, far away from home.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/ Susmita Bhandary/MSM)
