RAIPUR: The body of an AIDS patient, who died in a government medical college hospital at Ambikapur, in north Chhattisgarh, was declared "unclaimed" and his last rites were performed by police, much to the horror of his family.
Mukesh (name changed) had admitted his younger brother to the hospital after he was referred by Baikunthpur hospital. Mukesh who owns a small shop, left to arrange money for the treatment.
"On my return after two days, I found my brother’s bed vacant. Hospital staff told me that he had died and police had already performed his last rites,” he said.
“All I could find was the mobile phone of my brother as his Aadhaar card, SIM card and even prescription records were dumped in the garbage,” he stated.
Hospital superintendent Dr V K Shrivastava said the patient’s relatives left him and didn't return. "However, we have taken cognisance of the incident and will investigate. The guilty will not be spared", he told TNIE.
Ambikapur police claimed that their follow-up was based on the hospital’s information. They contacted Baikunthpur police but couldn't get any information about his family.