MANGALURU: Chaos prevailed outside a cemetery in Kundapur taluk of Udupi district on Sunday after a COVID-designated hospital handed over the wrong body of a coronavirus victim to a family. A 60-year-old man from Koteshwar was admitted to a hospital in Kundapur. After he tested positive, he was shifted to Udupi hospital where he died on Sunday morning.
His family, along with the hospital staffers, brought the body to a cemetery in Kundapur for the final rites.
On the request of the family, the staffers allowed five of them to have a last glimpse of the body after wearing PPE kits as per protocol. The mix-up came to light when the family members found the body of a youth instead of the victim.
Following this, family members and locals staged a flash protest against the district administration and demanded that the Deputy Commissioner arrive at the spot.
Kundapur Assistant Commissioner Raju and taluk health officer Nagabhushan arrived at the spot and pacified the protesters. The hospital handed over the correct body and the final rites was performed. Meanwhile, Udupi DC K G Jagadeesha has sought a report on the incident.