BENGALURU: Following the discovery of bodies of two Covid-19 victims in an old mortuary freezer over a year after they died, relatives of the two victims are outraged at the “negligence”. They are demanding strict action against BBMP and ESI Rajajinagar Hospital for their negligence.
The two victims, identified as Durga Sitaram, 40, from Chamarajpet and Muniraju, 62, from KP Agrahara, had succumbed to Covid in July 2020. Their bodies had been stored in ESI Rajajinagar’s mortuary, where hospital staff had failed to transfer them when they had shut down the mortuary due to its proximity to an oxygen pipeline. The bodies were found by staff on Saturday.
Relatives say that they were informed that the bodies had been handed over to BBMP and last rites had already been performed. Sujatha, a relative of Durga Sitaram, said, “I found out about the bodies only after the hospital and BBMP called me,” she said.
A relative of Muniraju, Satish Kumar, told reporters, “Both the hospital and BBMP agree that it is a matter of negligence. But it’s still not acceptable. They had threatened us when we asked district officer’s number, telling us that it was already late and not to come. They forced us out of the hospital and now they are apologising.”
Former minister S Suresh Kumar has demanded a departmental inquiry and action against those responsible. He said both ESI staff and BBMP should be held responsible.