Kerala State Human Rights Commission Chairperson Alexander Thomas on Friday ordered a probe by an official not less than the rank of Revenue Divisional Officer into the alleged incident in which the body of a 46-year-old man had decomposed faster than usual after the cold storage unit in the mortuary of the district hospital at Aluva on Tuesday turned defunct.
Preliminary probe by the district Health wing had revealed that there was no cooling inside the storage unit, though the indicator light of the switch showed that it was working.
The Commission Chairperson, who took suo motu notice of media reports on the incident, said the official must submit the report within a month. If the official requires help, the District Police Chief can depute an official not less than the rank of an Inspector.
The investigating official should take the statements of the relatives of the deceased and the hospital authorities. The report must include the reason for the death and related details. The official should also probe whether there was any delay on the part of the police to carry out timely inquest proceedings, besides confirming whether the unit was defunct. The report should also carry the opinion of a medical expert on the decomposition of the body.
Published – May 10, 2025 01:58 am IST