Chennai Mortuary Jammed by Unclaimed Bodies.

There is no dignity in death.

If abody of an unidentified male is burried here in chennai you may be surprised to know that body was lying there for more than a year or more. Bodies are piling in city mortuaries around the city with no one coming forward to claim.

It is shocking to note that on the day of 29 th July there were 223 bodies lying unclaimed in 4 of the hospitals run by the state government.

Atuary official at the hospital which is said to be the one of the biggest hospitalin Asia where bodies star rotting after a point though they are kept in freezers..They dint have the powers to bury it or dispose it.

On July 29 all 80 freezer lockers were full and atleast 46 bodies are being on the floor of the hospital mortuary.

In the past two weeks says the official the hospital managed somehow to get the sanction from the city police to clear 20 bodies . Many of them on the verge og falling apart.These bodies cannotbe even sent to an anotomy table for dissection assuch is the worst state of decomposition.

It is said out of 20 bodies recently disposed 4 were lying since 2004 January. Thats what prompted the hospital authorities to get in touch with the police to clear the bodies as soon as possible.

It is further stated that another 51 bodies await the sanction of police to clear. According to hospital sources the police should clear within 3 clear days under Tamilnadu Anatomy Act 1951 to avoid piling up of bodies or decomposition due to technical reasons. But practically they are not following due to known and unknown reasons.

Commissioner of Police Greater Chennai City R.Natraj said when this was brought to his knowledge"The police will not hesitate to take action in case of any unclaimed bodies lying in mortuaries for a long time. In case of unnatural deaths police have to investigate. We will give clearance if we gwet a list of bodies as for unclaimed bodies".

_NEWS INDIAl