CHENNAI: For the past 54 days, the family of 14-year-old Nivas Kumar has been keeping vigil outside a hospital ward in Theni, hoping he will wake up.

The Class 8 student from Saruthupatti near Periyakulam has remained in a coma since being referred to the Theni Government Medical College Hospital after treatment at the Periyakulam Government Hospital, where he was initially admitted on June 2 with respiratory illness and severe cold.

According to his family, doctors at the Periyakulam hospital advised a procedure after diagnosing a nasal growth. They alleged wrong treatment by doctors.