MANJERI (KERALA): The body of a woman, who died of cancer, was stuffed in the boot of a car and taken to Maharashtra from here as her husband reportedly could not mobilise enough money to pay for an ambulance, police said Sunday.
The man, hailing from a Maharashtra town, decided to take the body in a hired van in which he, along with some of his relatives, was scheduled to return home.
Chandrakala (48) had died on March 15 after battling cancer. Though her body was handed over to the family the same day, they could not immediately take it to their native, since ambulance operators had demanded Rs 45,000 for it.
Placing the body in the mortuary for a day, the man meanwhile tried to mobilise money in vain. So, he decided to take it in the same SUV that he had hired to return to his native.
Manjeri police circle inspector N B Shiju said though the family had taken a no objection certificate to take the body to Maharashtra they did not seek help to transport the body by an ambulance.
The NOC was given as it was a natural death. They did not specify how the body has to be transported, he said. According to the police officer, some ambulance operators had demanded Rs 45,000 for transporting the body to Maharashtra, which the family could not afford.
The plight of the family was highlighted in some local television channels. The medical college hospital superintendent also said he came to hear about the incident and there was no request for help from the family to transport the body.