Anant Ambani Steps In to Help Murshidabad Teen Iqbal, Airlifted to Mumbai for Treatment
A heartbreaking story from Murshidabad, West Bengal, has now taken a hopeful turn.
A 16-year-old boy named Iqbal Sheikh had been spending long hours in ponds because of a severe burning sensation that he reportedly experienced whenever he came out of the water. His unusual situation came into the spotlight after videos of him sitting in a pond and even eating while in the water went viral on social media.
Now, help has finally reached him.
Who Is Iqbal?
Iqbal is from Beldanga in Murshidabad. According to reports, he had been spending much of his time in ponds because he said the moment he came out of the water, he experienced an unbearable burning sensation across his body.
His condition was so difficult that he would reportedly remain in the water for extended periods, sometimes moving from one pond to another.
His story became widely known after videos of him in a pond spread across social media. The footage left many people wondering why a young boy was spending so much of his life in water.
His Family Could Not Afford Long-Term Treatment
Iqbal’s parents had reportedly taken him to hospitals before, hoping to find an answer to his condition.
However, according to reports, his health did not improve and the family struggled to afford prolonged medical treatment.
With limited financial resources and no clear solution, the family appealed for help.
That appeal eventually reached Anant Ambani.
Anant Ambani Steps Forward
After learning about Iqbal’s situation, Reliance Industries Executive Director Anant Ambani stepped in to help.
Arrangements were made for Iqbal to be airlifted from West Bengal to Mumbai so that he could receive specialised medical evaluation and treatment.
He has now been admitted to Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai, where doctors will conduct detailed examinations to understand his condition and determine the appropriate course of treatment.
For Iqbal and his family, the journey to Mumbai represents something they desperately needed—a chance to find an answer.
Why Did Iqbal Stay in the Water?
According to reports, Iqbal says he experiences an intense burning sensation across his body whenever he leaves the water.
He has also described the sensation in unusual terms, saying that it sometimes feels as though a supernatural force has taken control of him.
However, these descriptions are his reported experience and do not establish the medical cause of his condition. Doctors still need to properly evaluate him before determining what is actually happening.
Doctors Warn About Staying in Water for Too Long
While water may have provided Iqbal temporary relief from the burning sensation, medical experts have warned that spending extremely long periods submerged can create additional health problems.
Prolonged exposure to water can cause the skin to become soft and pale, a process known as maceration. This can make the skin more vulnerable to irritation, cracks and infections.
Doctors have also warned about an increased risk of fungal and bacterial infections when the skin remains continuously wet for long periods.
This is why medical evaluation is so important for Iqbal rather than simply continuing to stay in ponds for relief.
A Viral Video Changed His Story
Sometimes, a few seconds of video can bring attention to a problem that has remained invisible for years.
That appears to be what happened with Iqbal.
The sight of a teenage boy sitting in a pond for hours was unusual enough to attract attention online. But behind the viral video was a family struggling to understand what was happening to their child and struggling financially to find long-term treatment.
The attention eventually brought his case to people who could help.
From a Village Pond to a Mumbai Hospital
Iqbal’s story has now entered a completely different chapter.
Instead of spending his days searching for relief in ponds, he is now under the care of specialists at a major hospital in Mumbai.
Doctors will have to determine the underlying cause of his symptoms before deciding on treatment. For now, his arrival in Mumbai is not a declaration that his condition has been cured—it is the beginning of a proper medical investigation.
And for a family that had struggled to afford continued treatment, that opportunity itself is significant.
A Story of Hope
Iqbal’s story is difficult to forget.
A teenager should be thinking about school, friends and his future—not spending days and nights inside a pond because he cannot tolerate being outside the water.
His case also shows how social media can sometimes do more than create viral moments. In this instance, public attention helped bring a vulnerable family’s struggle into the spotlight.
Now, Iqbal has been given access to specialised medical care in Mumbai.
Perhaps the most important part of this story is not the viral video or the unusual circumstances.
It is that a boy who had been searching for relief in a pond may finally have a chance to find the real reason behind his suffering—and hopefully, the treatment he needs.
For Iqbal and his family, the journey from Murshidabad to Mumbai is more than an airlift.
It is a journey from helplessness to hope.