Negligence leads to exchange of dead bodies, investigation ordered

The negligence of staff in a private hospital led to the exchange of dead bodies of two Covid patients in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh. There was a massive outrage after the incident as the bodies belonged to two different communities.

Moradabad (Uttar Pradesh): The dead bodies of two Covid patients were exchanged and given to bereaving families due to the negligence of private hospital staff in Moradabad. The family members of the deceased created a ruckus in the hospital, on learning about the incident as they belonged to two different communities. The incident came to light when one of the family members desired to see the body of the deceased one last time.

The family members, agitated by the negligence of the hospital administration, lodged a complaint at the Civil Lines Police Station. The police immediately contacted the other family who was given the body. However, by then they had already buried the mortal remains at the cemetery.

The police exhumed the body from the cemetery and handed it over to the right family.

Ram Pratap Singh, a resident of Subhash Nagar in Bareilly, is a retired bank employee. He had been suffering from heart trouble for a long time. A few days ago he visited the residence of his relative, advocate Pavitra Kumar, who stays in the Nagfni police station area.

On 15 April, Ram Pratap's health had deteriorated and was admitted to the Cosmos Hospital. According to family members, on April 16, he had tested positive for Coronavirus and was being treated for the same. Later on April 19, the hospital administration at noon informed Pavitra Kumar that Ram Pratap had passed away.

Having finished all formalities, when the family members arrived at the funeral site for the last rites, they were shocked to see that the body was not of Ram Pratap.

When they contacted the hospital management regarding the lapse, it was understood that the bodies of two Covid patients got exchanged due to the negligence of private hospital staff. After this, the family reached the hospital and created a ruckus.

Now, the body that was handed over to the Hindu family by the hospital belonged to Nasir, a resident of Rampur Doraha at Katghar police station in Moradabad.

Sub-Divisional Magistrate Prashant Tiwari said that it was due to the negligence of the hospital administration that the bodies got interchanged. He added that the case will be investigated, and action will be taken against those found guilty.