ROURKELA: Five days after an aged patient, Somnath Mundari (60), was killed by another fellow patient, Yadav Munda (25), at the infectious ward of Rourkela Government Hospital (RGH), the body of Mundari continues to remain at the morgue of the RGH.
Mundari’s family members have refused to receive the body till the Odisha Government pays compensation of Rs 10 lakh and job to a member of the bereaved family. A letter from the victim’s family to Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of RGH Dr RC Behera on Tuesday has held the hospital administration responsible for Mundari’s death.
Behera said the body is preserved at the morgue for five days and further delay may lead to its decomposition. He said the State Government is the appropriate authority to decide on the demands of the victim’s family and clarified that he has not received any notice from the Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) over the issue.
Sundargarh Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) Dr SB Naik said he learnt from news reports that OHRC notice was served to him but he has not yet received it. Naik said on receipt of the notice, he would examine it for appropriate action.
On Saturday, Munda had attacked Mundari with a PVC panel of window screen leading to the latter’s death. Hospital sources said Mundari was attacked in his sleep over unclear reasons. A day after the crime, RN Pali police had arrested the accused patient and forwarded him to court.