Abstract

MERCY KILLING (EUTHANASIA): A BURNING ISSUE IN INDIAN PERSPECTIVE

Dr. Ramesh Chandra Tiwari* and Dr. Ajay Kumar Sharma

Abstract

Mercy killing or euthanasia or assisted suicide is defined as painless killing of a person who is suffering from incurable disease, senility or a permanent damage to brain, which can‟t be repaired or cured. Depending on act of induction and willingness of the patient, it is mainly classified as 1) Voluntary and Involuntary or 2) Active and Passive euthanasia. Euthanasia is always a divisive issue while the ethics and religion call against it, medical profession is looking for its solution. Accordingly as per the ethical and religious myths God has created life and God is supreme one should take care of it. However the medical view is that in untreatable disease conditions one shall not try to kill but need not keep alive also. Though mercy killing is established legally in certain parts of United-states, Uruguay, Poland, Australia, Switzerland it is not yet acceptable legally in our country. At present a lot of debate is focused on the pros and cons of validating euthanasia legally.

Keywords: Euthanasia, Mercy killing, Voluntary & involuntary euthanasia, Active & passive euthanasia.