Dhaka  - After more than two days of a bitter life and death struggle in a small hospital in western Bangladesh, a double-headed baby boy died Thursday as crowds of grief-stricken people waited outside.

Witnesses said many in the crowd went hysteric when the hospital officials announced the death of the baby, who apparently had two heads with a double pair of eyes and ears and two noses.

Earlier hundreds of people had gathered at a local health clinic to have a glimpse of the double-headed male baby christened Kiron (Light) by his parents.

However, specialist doctors termed Kiron's birth as a medical aberration.

"Kiron is not a medical curiosity, but was sent from heaven as blessings from the gods," said a woman Hindu worshipper.

She said she did not believe that Kiron could leave the earth so soon after birth because his job of cleansing the world of sins had yet to be fulfilled.

Farmer's wife Putul Biswas gave birth to Kiron on Tuesday. The baby weighed four-and-a-half kilograms, a hospital official said.

The apparent medical curiosity triggered crowds in the small town of Keshabpur west of Dhaka.

Doctor Abdul Bari who delivered the baby following a Caesarian section said there had been little chance of Kiron's survival.

The daily Ittefaq said many people were giving money to Kiron's mother in exchange of blessings from her odd off spring. (dpa)