By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Be it poverty or indifference, the trend of relatives not claiming the bodies of their near and dear ones is on the rise.
As many as six unclaimed bodies, including those of two babies are lying in Shillong Civil Hospital morgue at present.
Similar cases were also reported from other Government run hospitals in the State.
There were also bodies of militants killed in police actions which were disposed of in the past with nobody coming forward to claim them.
Highlighting on the procedures involved, East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Sanjay Goyal said if an unclaimed body is recovered, it is usually kept in the Shillong Civil hospital morgue for a certain period of time for the relatives to identify and claim the body.
The failure of the relative to come forward within the stipulated time will result in the issue of an order from the court to get the body disposed of by the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) at Marten, Mawlai Mawiong.
“The job of the district administration is to issue an order to the SMB to dispose of the unclaimed body, based on the letter from the police,” Goyal stated.
East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police M Kharkrang said that while the body is being kept in the morgue the police would issue a police notice through the newspapers for identification.
“Our job is to find the relatives and we usually maintain the clothes of the deceased for identification,” Kharkrang said while adding after the stipulated time has ended, the hospital authorities would inform the police following which, a letter would be sent to the district administration seeking permission to get the body disposed of by the SMB.
There were cases where the relatives did not claim the bodies of their dear ones due to poverty and considering the expenditure involved in burying the dead with elaborate rituals.
On the other hand, Kharkrang said that most of the unclaimed bodies belonged to those living in the streets and vagabonds.
Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SBM T Lyngwa said that the job of the municipality is to act on the court order. While informing that the bodies are usually buried in Marten at Mawiong, Lyngwa said that in a month, they sometimes receive one or two orders and sometimes none.
Unclaimed in morgue
On April 15 and 16 two bodies of new born babies were recovered from Laitumkhrah and Jhalupara respectively.
On April 5, body of Prasna Sangma was brought to the Civil Hospital by the Sadar police from Thana
Road.
On May 17, an unknown male body was recovered and brought to the Civil Hospital by Sadar police.
On May 27, body of one Subhash Marendi (40) was brought to the Civil Hospital by the Lumdiengjri police.
On June 7, an unknown male body was brought to the Civil Hospital by the Pasteur beat house police personnel from Polo Super Market.
This is the same in other districts as well. On June 17, police recovered one unidentified decomposed male body from Dulongnar in Ri Bhoi. Earlier, on June 15 at around 2 pm, one unidentified male body was recovered from Umshong River in East Jaintia Hills.