Kins carry body in bag after denied hearse, probe ordered

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today ordered a probe into reports that a youth's decomposed body was carried by his relatives from Katihar to Bhagalpur, over 80 km, for postmortem in a plastic bag after allegedly being denied an ambulance. The Chief Minister has directed the state health department to conduct the probe after he took note of media reports.

"An incident has come to light that a decomposed body was referred to Bhagalpur for postmortem from Katihar, but ambulance was not provided to the kins. I have asked officials of the health department to probe the matter," Kumar said addressing a function of the state police here.

"I have directed the health department that such an incident should not recur and there should be a standard practise for such cases," he said. A plan for construction of postmortem houses has been sanctioned for every district and work was progressing on it, the CM said.

Kumar's comments came in the backdrop of the incident in Katihar where a youth's decomposed body was carried by his relatives in a plastic bag to Bhagalpur, more than 80 km away, on directions of Sadar hospital officials and were denied a vehicle.
The incident brought back memories of the Kalahandi incident where a tribal Dana Manjhi had to carry the body of his wife for 10 km on his shoulders after being denied a vehicle.

Civil Surgeon of Katihar S C Jha said the hospital did not have a hearse facility. The youth, Sintu Kumar, had drowned in river Ganga at Kursela in Katihar district two weeks ago and his body was recovered on September 25.

The relatives took the body to Katihar Sadar hospital on Sunday last where officials refused to conduct an autopsy and told them to take the decomposed body to Bhagalpur for postmortem. Acting on Kumar's direction, District Magistrate of Katihar Lallan Ji today constituted a three-member probe team in connection with the incident.

The probe team comprising DDC, SDO (Sadar) and SDPO have been asked to submit its report by tomorrow, the DM said at Katihar. Based on the findings of the probe team, necessary action would be initiated, he added.