Hyderabad, Jul 10 (IANS): A highly curious case has come to light of 18-year old Gandham Kiran, diagnosed with dengue and jaundice and declared brain dead by doctors at a hospital here, who has regained consciousness, even as relatives and friends were grieving and making arrangements for his funeral rites.

Following the declaration by doctors that there was no further hope of reviving Kiran, he was taken off the ventilator, and transported wearing an oxygen mask in an ambulance back to his home in Pillalamarri village of Telangana's Suryapet district on July 3.

As Kiran's family had been informed that he will breathe his last in a couple of hours, relatives from different places had gathered at his home for the last rites.

Kiran's mother, Gandham Saidamma, who was not informed about her son's condition, was shocked on reaching home in another vehicle to find the relatives arranging flowers, firewood and other material for the funeral rites. She broke down, crying inconsolably

Thereafter, around midnight, some relatives noticed that tears were rolling down Kiran's cheeks.

They called a local Registered Medical Practitioner (RMP) G. Rajababu Reddy, who checked the patient and found a faint pulse. He spoke to the doctor who had treated Kiran at a Hyderabad hospital and on his advice started administering injections.

The day after, the doctor found Kiran showing some body movement. He was admitted to a local hospital. Following three days of treatment, Kiran regained consciousness and started talking to his mother in a feeble voice.

"Now he has come back home and taking some liquid diet. We are continuing the medication," Saidamma told IANS over phone from Pillalamarri.

She believes God answered her prayers and gave a new lease of life to her younger son.

"After losing my husband in 2005, I worked as a labourer to raise my two sons and gave them the education. They are everything for me," said a sobbing Saidamma.

Kiran is second year Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) student at a college in Suryapet. His elder brother, Sateesh, who has done his graduation in Arts, is currently looking for a job.

Sateesh said that Kiran, who had started vomiting and having motions on June 26, was first admitted to government district hospital at Suryapet. When his condition showed no improvement, he was shifted to a private hospital at Vanasthalipuram on the outskirts of Hyderabad where was diagnosed with dengue and jaundice and later slipped into a coma.