Convict’s body waits for autopsy in Chennai

Procedure held up at Govt. Royapettah Hospital for several days due to lack of required kits

The body of a convict has been lying in Government Royapettah Hospital (GRH) mortuary for a few days now as the hospital does not have the required kit to perform an autopsy.

The convict, Ramesh (32) of Thiruverkadu, was serving a life sentence in Puzhal prison for a murder that he had committed in his home town in the beginning of the year.

He had been admitted to Government Hospital for Thoracic Medicine in Tambaram for treatment of AIDS on July 2. However, he died on August 29.

A senior authority at GRH said the body was shifted to the hospital mortuary instead of being sent to the nearby government taluk hospital in Chromepet.

The official added that the autopsy could not be taken up as GRH does not maintain the specialised kits required for the purpose.

The kits contain disposable items such as masks and aprons that the forensic surgeon and the assistants are required to wear while conducting an autopsy.

According to hospital officials, the kit was received on Monday and the autopsy would be done on Tuesday.

In cases involving death of convicts, it is necessary for the police to get the magistrate’s permission to perform the autopsy.

The hospital had faced a similar problem when the Dutch paedophile, Wilhelmus, who was housed in Puzhal prison, died in the hospital in February this year. At that time, his body had remained in the morgue for a week due to procedural delays.