In a rare case, the Supreme Court of India has allowed passive euthanasia for Harish Rana, a man who had been in a coma for 13 years following a serious accident. Harish, a former student of Panjab University, suffered severe brain injuries after falling from a building in 2013. Since then, he had been on life support, using medical tubes for breathing and feeding.
After years of treatment with no improvement, Harish’s parents approached the Supreme Court, requesting permission to withdraw life support. A bench led by Justices J. B. Pardiwala and K. V. Viswanathan considered the plea and granted approval for passive euthanasia.
Following the court’s decision, Harish was shifted to All India Institute of Medical Sciences, where doctors began the process of gradually withdrawing life support. Before being taken to the hospital, family members and friends gathered at his home in Ghaziabad for an emotional farewell. Videos from the gathering, including moments with his family, are being widely shared on social media. The case has once again brought attention to the legal and ethical issues surrounding end-of-life care in India.
