New Delhi: A shocking case of mistaken identity at a government hospital in Nangloi, Delhi, has sparked allegations of negligence after a grieving family unknowingly cremated the wrong body.
The incident unfolded when the bodies of two men — Pankaj Kumar, a resident of Prem Nagar, and Bharat Bhushan from Nangloi — were placed in the hospital mortuary on Thursday for post-mortem examinations.
According to police sources, both families were notified, but confusion ensued during the body handover. Believing one of the bodies to be that of their relative, Bharat Bhushan’s family took possession of Pankaj Kumar’s remains. Without realizing the error, they went ahead with the cremation rites.
The mix-up only came to light when Pankaj Kumar’s family arrived to collect his body and were presented with the remaining one, which they immediately claimed was not their relative.
Alleging gross mishandling by the hospital staff, Kumar’s family accused the authorities of failing to ensure proper verification before releasing the body. “There was no clear system to confirm identities. If they had followed procedure, this wouldn’t have happened,” a family member stated.
Police have acknowledged the incident and confirmed that an inquiry is underway to determine how the error occurred. Appropriate legal action may follow depending on the outcome of the investigation.
Hospital officials have so far not issued a public statement.
