Thiruvananthapuram: The Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital reportedly released the wrong dead body to a family. Only after the body was handed over and the cremation carried outdid the lapse come to light.
The body of Neyyattinkara native Prasad, 47, was cremated by relatives of Vellayani resident Manikandan, 48, believing that it was his mortal remains. Both deceased were Covid-infected.
Only half an hour after the cremation, the hospital authorities realised the gaffe. Subsequently, temporary staff Mohanan Nair was suspended. However, no action was taken against the official, who is in charge of supervision.
Prasad was taken to the hospital on Saturday evening as he suffered from shortness of breath. He became unconscious on the way to the hospital and died by the time he was taken to casualty. Tests confirmed that he had COVID-19 and the dead body was kept at the mortuary. On Sunday evening, the police and relatives went to the mortuary.
At the same time, the kin of Manikandan, who too had died of Covid, also arrived to receive his body. But the security personnel Mohanan Nair reportedly released the wrong body.
Only after Prasad's relatives turned up did they realise what had happened. Then Manikandan's relatives were contacted over the phone but by then the body had been cremated at Shanthi Kavadam.
As per the norms, the official, who is in charge of supervising, should be present when the bodies are handed over to the kin. But the official allegedly does not come to the mortuary at all.
Earlier too, a controversy had erupted after the wrong body was released to a family. The health department had then given stern directives.
Based on the complaint given by Prasad's relatives, the Medical College police have sought a report from the hospital superintendent.
However, the relative, who received the body, claimed that the mortal remains were of Manikandan and that he had been cremated.
But Medical College Hospital chief security officer Nassaruddin has said that Manikandan's body was at the mortuary; and that the hospital superintendent and the Medical College CI had checked and ascertained this.
