‘Just bihar things’: Man with fractured leg gets cardboard support; social media reacts to viral video

A man with a fractured leg received only cardboard support. This happened at a government hospital in Bihar. A video of the incident later went viral online.

The patient, Krishna Kumar, suffered his injury on 3 August. He was involved in a road accident near Harsain Bridge. An auto-rickshaw reportedly hit his vehicle that evening, India Today reported.

He was taken to Manjhaul Sub-divisional Hospital by the police. Staff there used cardboard pieces as temporary support. These were wrapped with bandages around his injured leg.

He was then referred to Sadar Hospital in Begusarai. Krishna said his brother was travelling with him. He described being in severe pain throughout the ordeal.

At Sadar Hospital, he received an IV drip and initial care. However, he was told a plaster cast would take a week. Frustrated, he chose to visit a private hospital instead.

The viral video sparked widespread criticism online afterwards. Many questioned the state of government healthcare facilities generally. This came despite significant prior investment in infrastructure.

Abhinav Priyadarshi, the hospital's in-charge, defended the medical approach taken. He said cotton and bandages weren't medically-incorrect as support. According to him, these are commonly used as first aid.

Priyadarshi added that no orthopaedic doctor was available then. A dresser was also absent from the hospital that day. This led staff to provide only temporary support, according to India Today.

Begusarai Civil Surgeon Dr Ashok Kumar responded to the controversy. He confirmed that he had seen the viral video. He said the matter would be formally investigated.

Dr Kumar acknowledged that temporary support could be valid first aid. However, he said this specific case needed closer examination. Action would follow if any negligence was confirmed.

Social media reaction

Social media users reacted to the viral video.

“We used to throw away cardboard. Thinking, what use could it possibly have in the end? At Manjhaul Hospital in Begusarai, while conducting a revolutionary discovery, when a leg broke, they applied cardboard instead of plaster—cheap too, light too. This year, the Best Hospital award is definitely going to them for sure,” came a sarcastic remark.

“Cardboard's actually a legit temporary splint — SAM splints use the same principle, and it beats leaving a fracture unsupported. The scandal isn't the jugaad; it's a hospital with no plaster of Paris in stock. That's the real shortage,” wrote Dr Aniruddha Malpani, MD.

One user quipped, “Just bihar things.”

“I don't know what is happening in this country, and why is everyone so normal about it?” wondered another user.

“This is not an isolated case. In Bihar’s government hospitals, rats have been found chewing on patients’ eyes and feet. Dogs have been seen sleeping on hospital beds. This is not just negligence — it is complete callousness,” came from another.