Responding to a habeas corpus petition filed by a woman from Vanasthalipuram seeking to know whereabouts of her husband admitted in Gandhi Hospital for COVID-19 treatment, the government on Friday told Telangana High Court that he had died.
Died day after admission
Presenting a detailed report in the petition, Advocate General B.S. Prasad told the court that the woman’s husband was admitted to Gandhi Hospital on April 30 after he tested positive for coronavirus.
He died the following day while undergoing treatment, stated the report placed before a bench of Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy.
The woman, a housewife, was in Koti Hospital during that time and was being treated for COVID-19 after nine of her other family members, including herself, contracted the virus. With all family members admitted in the hospital for treatment, the news of her husband’s demise could not be conveyed to them, the AG told the court.
However, a neighbour was informed about the death. The matter was conveyed to other relatives of the woman’s family, the government said in the report. The report stated that, in the absence of family members who were undergoing treatment in hospitals, GHMC authorities conducted the cremation.
Photo evidence
The process of shifting the body from the hospital to graveyard and cremation was not video-recorded but photographs were taken, the report said.
The AG told the court that, along with the report, all documents pertaining to the matter including the death certificate of the person were furnished before the court.
The bench asked the AG to pass on the report and papers to the petitioner’s counsel. The matter was posted to Tuesday for next hearing.
