BERHAMPUR: The body of a 30-year-old man, kept at Dharakote hospital for over 24 hours, was finally sent for a postmortem on Friday.
Sources said the deceased Basant Behera of Rangatipalli had died at his in-laws’ place on Thursday. Behera’s family alleged he was murdered and did not allow police to send his body for postmortem.
The family demanded the police first register a case of murder and then send the body for autopsy.
Police told Behera’s family that an unnatural death case has been registered and the exact reason of the death can be ascertained only after the postmortem report is received.
Sources said owing to the deadlock, Behera’s body remained at the hospital despite police’s efforts to convince his kin. While sources said a foul odour had started emanating from Behera’s body, Ganjam SP Subhendu Patra somehow convinced the family following which the body was sent for postmortem.
Patra said circumstantial evidence suggests Behera’s death was caused by self-induced poisoning. Probe is on and the reason for the death can be ascertained after the autopsy report is received, he said.