A 50-year-old woman in Uttar Pradesh’s Pilibhit made a remarkable recovery after being declared “brain-dead” by doctors and sent home with little chance of survival. Her sudden improvement, which reportedly began after an ambulance carrying her hit a pothole on a national highway, has sparked widespread discussion in the area.
The incident took place on the Bareilly–Haridwar stretch of National Highway-74 near Hafizganj. While many initially described the recovery as miraculous, doctors who later treated the woman said her condition was most likely linked to poisoning from a venomous insect or snake bite.
Sudden collapse at home
The woman, Vinita Shukla, works as a senior assistant in the copy section of Pilibhit’s judicial courts. According to her family, she collapsed at home on February 22 while doing routine household work. Her husband, Kuldeep Shukla, said she had complained of high blood pressure earlier that day and had taken medicine before suddenly losing consciousness.
She was first taken to the Autonomous State Medical College in Pilibhit. Due to the seriousness of her condition, doctors there referred her to Bareilly for further treatment.
The family later admitted her to a private hospital in Bareilly, where she was placed on ventilator support for three days. Kuldeep said doctors eventually informed them that her chances of survival were extremely low and discharged her with a referral note.
Ambulance journey turns dramatic
On February 24, while bringing his unconscious wife back home in an ambulance, Kuldeep had already informed relatives to prepare for her last rites. However, during the journey near Hafizganj, the ambulance reportedly struck a deep pothole, causing a sudden jolt.
"Near Hafizganj, the ambulance suddenly hit a large pothole, and the vehicle shook violently. Shortly afterwards, my wife began breathing normally again," her husband told reporters.
He then rushed her to Neurocity Hospital in Pilibhit, where she was admitted for emergency treatment. Family members said Vinita remained under intensive medical care at the hospital for nearly 12 days. She was discharged on Monday after showing steady improvement.
“She is conscious now and can speak with us,” Kuldeep said.
