Bodies marked as unclaimed, some cremated before informing family

Families of four people narrate their nightmarish experience as civic body battles allegations of missing and misplaced bodies

With the city-s COVID-19 mortality rate on the rise, families losing their loved ones to the infection are facing a harrowing time in getting possession of their bodies. Reasons: the bodies are either getting misplaced or some are being cremated after being declared unclaimed. Also, in certain cases, the familes are not being informed of the patients- deaths. mid-day spoke to a number of such families to know their experiences.

Twenty-nine-year-old Mehraj Izaz Ahmed Sheikh, a resident of Deonar, was stabbed by goons on the night of June 3 after which he was rushed to the Rajawadi Hospital. However, he was declared dead on arrival. His elder brother, Siraj Sheikh said, "Doctors at the casualty ward told us they had to conduct a COVID-19 test on Mehraj before handing over the body. We agreed and waited for a day for the reports."

Sudhakar Khade

On June 5 the hospital authorities told the family that the report was positive and Mehraj-s body would be cremated on June 6. When the family expressed their wish to see him for the last time, the authorities asked them to be at the mortuary the following day. "My brother-in-law and a couple of friends went to the mortuary at 11 am and till 7.30 pm they couldn-t find the body. Finally after they informed the cops, the authorities said that they would find the body and hand it over in the next two days," added Siraj.

Mehraj-s mother Noor Jahan said, "We couldn-t see him even for once after the attack. The Tilak Nagar police have filed a case in the matter but will we be able to see him again? They had said that they would hand over the body in two days but it-s been more than four days now."

Rakesh Verma

Body goes missing
After 70-year-old Kalachowky resident Sudhakar Khade developed symptoms of the COVID-19 infection, his son-in-law Ankush Jadhav admitted her to KEM Hospital on May 14. They had been getting updates on his health till May 19 but after that the doctors suddenly stopped informing them. Ankush rushed to the hospital but did not get any update and filed a missing report at Bhoiwada police station.

"We checked the entire hospital but couldn-t find him. The cops filed a missing report and started checking the CCTV footages of the hospital wards. Some said the civic body might have cremated him thinking that it was an unclaimed body," said Ankush. However, almost after four days it was found that Sudhakar had succumbed to the infection and his body was lying in the mortuary. He was then cremated on June 2 in the presence of his family.

From one hospital to another
Sixty-year-old Zantidevi Sharma-s body would have been cremated as an unclaimed one if her grandson had not intervened at the right time. On June 2, Kandivli resident Zantidevi was admitted to the COVID care centre at MMRDA grounds, BKC. In the evening when her grandson Sandeep Sharma enquired about her condition, the authorities concerned said she had been shifted to the NSCI COVID care centre in Worli. He then went to Worli where he got to know that the admission process was on.
Sandeep said, "I waited at the NSCI centre till 9 pm but did not get any information about my grandmother. When I went back on June 4, a doctor at the counter said there was no patient of my grandmother-s name admitted there."

On checking the records at the BKC COVID centre when he did not find her details, he approached the BKC police station to file a missing complaint. That is when he got a call from the Worli centre informing him that Zantidevi had been shifted to Sion Hospital.

After reaching Sion Hospital he got to know that his grandmother was not admitted there. But after he informed the NSCI centre, the hospital authorities said that she was admitted in ward number six. Later, when he couldn-t find her in the ward, he was asked to check the mortuary, when he got to know that she died at 9.30 am on June 3 and her body had been handed over to the police. Then he immediately reached the Kandivli cremation ground and performed the last rites.

Speaking to mid-day, he said, "My grandmother was an Uttar Pradesh resident. She was suffering from breathing difficulties, which is why we came to Mumbai in January for her treatment. She had almost recovered but on June 2 she again developed breathing problems. As no beds were available in Shatabdi and Cooper hospitals, she was admitted to the BKC COVID care centre. Though all her information was provided at the time of admission, yet her body was handed over to the police as an unclaimed one. Some of her reports have been given to me but they have no mention of a COVID-19 test. I think the hospital has not conducted it."

Not informed of death
Wadala resident Rakesh Verma, 41, a COVID-19 patient, was cremated even before his family got to know about his death. After he developed fever early last month, Rakesh got tested for the infection at a private lab. His report came positive and he was admitted to the Trauma Hospital in Jogeshwari.

Rakesh-s wife Subhashini Verma said on May 11 BMC officials visited them and said they would be taken to a quarantine centre as they had a positive patient in the house. After being in quarantine for 10 days, Rakesh-s family visited Trauma Hospital on May 21, when they got to know that he was not admitted there.

Subhashini immediately approached the Wadala police and filed a missing complaint. The next day the cops informed them that Rakesh had succumbed to the infection.

Speaking to mid-day, she said, "When I checked with the BMC officials about his health, they said he was undergoing treatment, but he had died. There is no other earning member in the house. My daughter is a special child and son studies in school. Even his mother is 62 years old. How will we run the family?"

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Sudhakar Khade

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