Terming the incident a violation of the right to life and dignity, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Monday issued a notice to the Bihar government after a man was forced to transport the body of his wife on a motorcycle as a government hospital failed to provide a mortuary van.
The NHRC took suo motu cognisance of a media report that said the man, a labourer, was asked ₹2,500 for an ambulance to transport the body of his wife, Susheela Devi, after she passed away on June 2 at the District Purnia Sadar hospital. Unable to pay, he was then asked by the hospital staff to make his own arrangements. With the help of his son, he managed to carry his wife’s body riding pillion on a motorcycle. Stating that the case pointed towards negligence and lack of infrastructure on the part of the hospital, the NHRC issued a notice to the Bihar Chief Secretary, asking for a report within four weeks. The NHRC observed that similar “shameful” incidents have happened in other parts of the country earlier.
“It seems that the authorities are lacking on their part in understanding the sensitivity involved in such situations,” the NHRC observed.
As per the media report published on June 4, the hospital’s civil surgeon had said that no mortuary vans were available and that patients’ families have to make their own arrangements.
The district magistrate had ordered an inquiry, the NHRC said.
