Chennai Corpn declines nod to exhume COVID-19 doctor victim's body
Chennai, Apr 25 (): Civic authorities on Saturdayturned down a plea for exhuming the body of a doctor who diedof COVID-19 here and burying it in another cemetry, citinghealth experts' view that it was unsafe to do so.
Citing a request from the wife of the deceased doctor toallow exhumation and then re-burial at a cemetery in Kilpauk,the Greater Chennai Corporation said it sought a report from acommittee of public health experts to ascertain thefeasibility of entertaining her plea.
The spouse of the doctor had appealed to the GCC on April22 to exhume and bury again her husband's body.
She had said that burial in the Kilpauk cemetry here washer husband's last wish and he had coveyed it to her before hewas put on a ventilator.
The report of experts has said that "it is not safe" toexhume and again bury the body of a COVID-19 victim and hence"it is not possible to accept her request," the GCC said in anofficial 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 which falsely feared that the burial may lead tothe spread 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. VGN ROH APRRAVINDRANATH APRRAVINDRANATH