Delhi Family Cremates Wrong Body After Mix-Up At Hospital, Probe Underway

In a major goof-up reported from a hospital in Delhi, the bodies of two men were mixed up. Due to the alleged negligence by the mortuary staff, a family mistakenly cremated the wrong body, believing it to be their

relative’s, police said.

According to sources, two bodies were brought to the hospital’s mortuary on Thursday. One was Pankaj Kumar’s who died after falling from a terrace and sustaining fatal injuries. Around the same time, the body of Bharat Bhushan from

Nangloi was also brought in for autopsy.

“One was Pankaj Kumar, a resident of Prem Nagar, who died after falling from terrace and sustained fatal injuries. His body was kept at the mortuary for post-mortem examination. Around the same time, the body of Bharat Bhushan from Nangloi was also brought in for autopsy,” said the source.

It is alleged that Bharat Bhushan’s family mistakenly identified Pankaj Kumar’s body as their relative’s. After the post-mortem, they completed the formalities, claimed the body, and conducted the last rites.

The mix-up came to light when Pankaj Kumar’s family reached the hospital to collect his body. As there was only one body in the mortuary at the time, they raised objections, as it was not their relative.

Pankaj Kumar’s family alleged serious negligence on part of the hospital in handling the bodies, claiming that a proper identification process was not ensured.

As per the sources cited by PTI, no formal written complaint has been received yet, but confirmed that the matter is under investigation.

“We are verifying the sequence of events and questioning the hospital staff to ascertain whether due procedures were followed,” the source said.

Further legal action will be taken once the inquiry is complete, the source added.