KOCHI: The Kerala State Human Rights Commission has asked the Ernakulam district police chief to conduct a probe into a private hospital which refused to release the dead body of a Dalit woman for 24 hours following the failure to pay the bill of Rs 9 lakh. Observing that holding back the body was disrespectul to the dead person, the Commission has also asked the hospital authorities to submit their explanation. The Commission will consider the case at its sitting scheduled to be held in Ernakulm in July.
The hospital authorities handed over the body on Tuesday only after the intervention of the Commission. Anil Kumar, brother of the deceased, had filed a complaint to the Commission against the hospital. The complainant stated that he had sought time for the payment of the Rs 9-lakh hospital bill but the hospital authorities refused to accept his plea. Even the intervention of the police failed in the release of the body.
