The man was found lying motionless in the forest (Representational)

A 55-year-old man, who was presumed dead by his family members, suddenly started swinging his head and got up while being taken to a cremation ground in Odisha's Ganjam district today.

Villagers rushed Simanach Mallick to the nearby community health centre (CHC) at Sorada after he started swinging his head while being taken to the cremation ground at Kapakhalla village. His condition was stated to be stable after treatment, doctors said.

Mr Mallick had gone to forest with goat and sheep for grazing on Saturday, but did not return in the evening though the animals returned on their own, police said.

On Sunday morning, some people found him lying motionless and took him home. Family members and villagers assumed that Mr Mallick was dead and made arrangements for his last rites, the police said.

When he was being taken to the village cremation ground, the man suddenly started swinging his head on the way, leaving the pallbearers scared. After a few minutes, Mr Mallick got up triggering panic among the pallbearers with some of them running away.

"Finding him (Mallick) alive, we immediately rushed him to nearby Sorada hospital. After getting treatment he is now in a good condition," said former Sarpanch of local Palakatu panchayat, Ranjan Mallick.

The man had fallen unconscious due to high fever and weakness and his condition has improved after getting proper treatment, said a doctor who attended him. After getting treatment, he was discharged from the hospital, the doctor said.

Happy to see her husband alive, Mr Mallick's wife Soli regretted that as she did not take him to the hospital before presuming him dead. She said her husband had gone to the jungle on Saturday despite being down with fever.