42 Days After His Death, Chhattisgarh Cop's Phone Gets Ayushman 'Recovery' Message

The wife of a Chhattisgarh constable, who died 42 days ago, said tey received an Ayushman Bharat message saying he was recovering and returning home. His wife, who had completed his last rites, questioned the lapse and sought an investigation. The hospital denied any post-death claim, saying the message resulted from delayed record closure.

A Chhattisgarh police constable who died 42 days ago has received a WhatsApp message through the Ayushman Bharat system saying he was recovering and returning home, leaving his grieving family shocked and raising questions about how quickly patient records are updated. Dev Narayan Ram was admitted to Ambikapur Medical College Hospital in Surguja on June 26 and died during treatment four days later, on June 30. His family completed his last rites and obtained his death certificate, India Today reported.

छत्तीसगढ़ के अंबिकापुर में एक पुलिस कर्मी की मौत के 42 दिन बाद उनके फोन पर आयुष्मान सारथी पोर्टल से मेसेज आया कि हमें खुशी है आप स्वस्थ होकर लौट रहे हैं! आरक्षी की पत्नी जो खुद एक नर्स है उसने जांच की मांग की है!

26 जून को भर्ती 
30 जून को मौत 
11 अगस्त को मैसेज की आप स्वस्थ… pic.twitter.com/DCxeEDybCT

— ShivRaj Yaduvanshi (@shivaxind) August 12, 2026

The message on cop's phone

His wife, Seema Kujur, later received a message on her husband’s phone saying: “Dear Dev Narayan Ram, we are happy that you are recovering and going home.” The message also referred to his satisfaction with the free healthcare services provided under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY).

The message, sent 42 days after his death, left Seema seeking answers. She questioned how the system could continue to treat her deceased husband as a recovering patient even after his death had been formally recorded.

Seema, who herself works at a hospital, said the incident was particularly disturbing because she understands the importance of accurate patient records. She said that if such an error could happen to her family, similar lapses could affect ordinary patients, particularly poor and tribal communities.

“My husband was being treated at Ambikapur Medical Hospital and died during treatment. We have performed his last rites, and now, 42 days later, we are receiving messages saying he is recovering and returning home,” Seema said, demanding an investigation.

She also questioned whether the continued status of her husband in the Ayushman system could have allowed benefits to be wrongly claimed after his death. The family has sought a high-level and impartial probe and strict action if negligence or irregularities are found.

Hospital denies post-death claim

According to the report by India Today, Ambikapur Medical Hospital’s Dr Shailendra Gupta confirmed that Dev Narayan was admitted and treated under the Ayushman scheme. However, he rejected the allegation that the card was used for 42 days after the constable’s death.

Gupta said the hospital claimed the Ayushman amount only for the four days during which Dev Narayan was treated. According to him, no additional payment was claimed or deducted after June 30.

“The patient was being treated using the Ayushman card. He died after four days,” Gupta said, adding that the family’s allegation of 42 days of card use was incorrect.

He acknowledged, however, that the Ayushman record should have been closed immediately after the patient’s death. The hospital attributed the delay to the data entry operator handling Ayushman-related records.

Gupta said the operator should have blocked or closed the card after Dev Narayan’s death and has since been removed from handling Ayushman Card-related work. He also explained that under the scheme’s process, queries can arise after a package is blocked, and a package may not be closed until those queries are resolved.

The incident has also highlighted concerns over automated health messages and the need for timely verification of records following a patient’s death immediately.

The dispute, therefore, centres on the difference between an alleged post-death treatment claim and a delayed update in the digital system. While the hospital maintains that no money was claimed beyond the four days of treatment, the family wants authorities to establish why the system generated a recovery message 42 days after Dev Narayan’s death.

Seema said that the issue is not only about one message but also about trust in a public healthcare system used by millions. She has urged authorities to examine the hospital and Ayushman records and take action against anyone found responsible.