HR Panel Takes Suo Motu Cognisance Of Rat-Bitten Body Incident
Telangana Human Rights Commission sought a report from the Warangal collector after reports of alleged rat bites on a body kept at Wardhannapet hospital.
The Telangana Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognisance of reports that a body was bitten by rats at the mortuary of the Government Area Hospital in Wardhannapet.
The Commission, headed by chairperson Dr Justice Shameem Akhtar, took note of a report published in Deccan Chronicle.
As per the report, Gare Veeraiah, 58, a resident of Rayaparthy mandal, died in a road accident and his body was kept overnight at the Wardhannapet government hospital mortuary. The following day, rat bite marks were found around and above his eye.
The report also cited the absence of a freezer and cold-storage facility, power supply problems, poor sanitation, inadequate maintenance and resultant rat infestation at the mortuary.
The deceased’s family members and local representatives expressed their concern and demanded the installation of a freezer and improvement of sanitation and maintenance at the hospital and its premises.
The Commission viewed the matter as being violative of a dignified and humane treatment of the deceased. It said appropriate action would be taken if the allegations were found to be true.
The Commission directed the Warangal district collector to submit a comprehensive report on the incident. The report should include details of the conditions in which the body was kept, availability of freezer or cold-storage and electricity facilities, sanitation and pest-control measures, circumstances that may have led to the alleged rat-bite marks, responsibility for mortuary maintenance, and steps taken or proposed to prevent similar incidents in future.
The Commission has adjourned the case to October 27 for submission of the report.
