Kumar Rajiv Nayan
Ara: Employees appointed to perform post-mortem of bodies at Ara Sada Hospital allegedly ask for money ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 from the family members of the deceased. Besides, they employees demand extra money for jar and salt for preserving viscera to be sent to Forensic Science Laboratory, soap and surf.
If anyone refuses to give money, the employees never stitch the body after post-mortem and even viscera is kept in the open. The employees never hesitate to realize money from even police personnel if they bring any unclaimed body to Ara Sadar Hospital for post-mortem. If a body is brought to Ara Sadar Hospital for post-mortem after 5pm, the staff appointed to perform post-mortem, the family members of the deceased deceased have to give whatever amount the hospital staff demand.
Hospital sources said that at least 600 post-mortems are performed per annum at Ara Sadar Hospital. Bodies of persons whether murdered, killed in accident or died under mysterious circumstances under the 34 police stations areas in Bhojpur district are brought over Ara Sadar Hospital for post-mortem as this facility is not available at any other health centre. There are only two employees at the hospital who perform post-mortem. One of them was appointed by the government and another by the Patient Welfare Committee. Even the doctors refuse to go to the post-mortem room located on the campus of Ara Sadar Hospital till the employees who perform post-mortem reach there.They performs postmortem while the doctor only gives his note by observing the body from some distance at the postmortem room. After the doctor completes formalities, the employees start realizing money from the family members of the deceased.
Deputy Superintendent (DS), Ara Sadar Hospital, Dr Satish Kumar Sinha said that he had received complain in this regard and the employees concerned had been told if they did not mend their ways, stern action would be taken against them. He said that he had forced these employees to return Rs 1,000 taken from family members of a deceased who was brought there for post-mortem on July 27, 2016.
The SHO Town police station said an awkward situation arises when the employees at Ara Sadar Hospital demand money for performing post-mortem in the presence of police who are unable to do anything as only these employees perform post-mortem. Even the doctors never go to the Post-mortem house until the employees responsible for postmortem were present there. He said sometime police to have to give Rs 500 to them for getting a- postmortem done at Ara Sadar Hospital.