Lucknow: Nearly a decade after a frightened girl found wandering through the dense forests of Katarniaghat captured the nation’s imagination as the real-life “Mowgli”, her extraordinary journey came to an end on June 15.Now known as Ehsaas, she died at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in Lucknow at the age of 18.Her story first made headlines in Jan 2017 when she was spotted alone on a road passing through the dense Motipur range of Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary in Bahraich.Barely connected to human society, the girl displayed behaviour that baffled doctors and officials. She feared people, refused to wear clothes, walked on all fours, screamed like animals and showed little understanding of everyday human interaction.The discovery led many to compare her to Rudyard Kipling’s fictional jungle boy, earning her the nickname “Mowgli”.The Child Welfare Committee in Bahraich later named her Pooja, but at the Mohan Road-based Nirvan Rajkiya Bal Grah Visheshikrit (NRBGV), she was given a new name Ehsaas.After initial treatment at Bahraich district hospital, she was brought to the Nirvan Foundation in April 2017.Foundation chairman, Suresh Singh Dhapola, said the first signs of rehabilitation appeared under the care of hospital workers Maya and Renu.“Gradually, she began covering herself with a blanket in public, accepted clothing and learned to stand upright with support. Yet she remained unable to speak and avoided eye contact,” said Dhapola.At Nirvan, caretaker Rani became the most important person in her life. Treating her like a daughter, Rani patiently earned her trust. Over the years, Ehsaas slowly responded to affection, began recognising people around her and eventually started calling Rani “Amma”.“She used to call me Amma. I thought she would get better. Now all we have are her memories,” said Rani, struggling to hold back tears.According to Dhapola, years of nutritious food, medication and constant care improved her quality of life, but the damage caused during her formative years proved irreversible. Doctors found her brain severely underdeveloped, leaving her with profound intellectual disabilities. She also suffered recurrent epileptic seizures and remained under treatment at Lohia Hospital for several years.Dhapola said: “Though Ehsaas has gone, the memories she left behind will remain with us forever.”Postmortem cites septicaemia as cause of deathPostmortem report of Ehsaas showed septicaemia resulting from lung disease as the cause of death.ACP Ghazipur (Indira Nagar), Anindiya Vikram Singh, said: “Ehsaas had been suffering from serious health complications and was undergoing treatment. She first fell ill on June 8, following which she was admitted to Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences. Her condition improved after treatment and she was discharged on June 11. She was then brought back to the rehabilitation centre.”However, her health deteriorated once again within a few days. Authorities at the rehab centre informed police that on June 15, her oxygen saturation level reportedly dropped to around 40%, prompting her immediate transfer to Lohia Hospital for emergency medical care.“Despite efforts to save her, she died shortly after reaching the hospital,” the ACP said.Following receipt of the hospital’s death memo, police initiated inquest proceedings and completed other legal formalities.(With input from Pathikrit)
