The COVID-19 pandemic has managed to expose many sides of Mumbai which lay hidden till now. In a surprising incident, the Tilak Nagar police have registered a case of a murder victim’s dead body going missing from the Rajawadi hospital in Ghatkopar.
The incident took place on 3 June, and since the past five days, the hospital authorities and the family of the victim have been searching in vain for the body at the mortuary.
According to the police, the deceased, identified as one Mehraj Shaikh (29), was admitted to Rajawadi Hospital after a fight with his uncle escalated to such heights that the latter stabbed him and escaped.
Mehraj was immediately rushed to the hospital by his relatives, wherein he succumbed to the injuries. A murder case was registered and the body taken for a post-mortem. “We were told that the body will be handed over to us after the post-mortem but it never happened. The post-mortem was delayed as doctors demanded a COVID-19 report of the body. We were asked to come on the 4th of June for the report and the body. But to our surprise the doctors gave us a COVID-19 positive report of a 65-year-old man whereas my son was only 29. We informed the doctors and sent the report back,” said Noorjehan, mother of the victim.
She further alleged, “We came back on the fifth and were told by the hospital authorities that they cannot find Mehraj’s body. We were shocked to hear this.”
“For the past three days we are being taken inside the mortuary and are checking each and every dead body but in vain. I want my son back. We want to perform his last rites.”Noorjehan, Mehraj’s mother
On the night of Sunday, 7 June, Noorjehan lodged a complain with the Tilak Nagar police station. When contacted, Vidya Thakur, the dean of Rajawadi Hospital, confirmed the incident and said, “Sometimes, the doctors conducting the post-mortem demand for a coronavirus test and we have to comply. In this case also we had to conduct a test. We are still looking for the missing body.”
Meanwhile, ACP Vishwapal Bhujbal of Tilak Nagar division said, “The statements of the family have been recorded and their complaint has been registered. We are investigating all angles.”
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