Chennai Corpn declines nod to excavate COVID-19 doc victim's body

Chennai, Apr 25 () Days after the wife of a doctor,who died here of COVID-19, appealed to authorities to allowexcavation of his body so that it could be buried again at acemetery of her spouse's choice, the Chennai Corporation onSaturday rejected her plea citing health experts' view that itwas unsafe to do so.

Citing her request on April 22 to allow burial at acemetery in Kilpauk, the civic body said it sought a reportfrom a committee of public health experts to ascertain thefeasibility of entertaining her plea. The report of experts has said that "it is not safe," toexcavate and bury again the body of a COVID-19 victim andhence "it is not possible to accept her request," the GreaterChennai Corporation said in an official release. On April 19, a city based 55-year-old neurosurgeon diedof coronavirus and his burial at the Velangadu crematoriumhere was marred by violence. A mob falsely fearing that the burial may lead to thespread of contagion had attacked the corporation healthemployees and associates of the deceased doctor.

The doctor's wife and son also had to leave the burialground in view of the violence.

The body was brought to Velangadu as people of Kilpaukarea had opposed his burial there.

Over a dozen men involved allegedly in violence werearrested and remanded to judicial custody. Later, in a video message the surgeon's wife had saidthat it was her husband's last wish to be interred at theKilpauk cemetry as per Christian rituals.

Chief Minister K Palaniswami and DMK president M K Stalinhad spoken to her on Wednesday over phone and condoled herhusband's death. VGNROH ROH