Covid-19 victims’ body swap: Magisterial probe begins, Amritsar GMC staff questioned

Amritsar SDM Shivraj Singh Bal, who is conducting the inquiry, visited the college and grilled the doctors, staff nurses and Class 4 employees who were on duty on the day of the incident

The magisterial probe into the case involving the swapping of the bodies of Covid-19 patients from Amritsar and Hoshiarpur began on Tuesday with the questioning of staff members of Government Medical College (GMC), Amritsar.

HT Image

Amritsar sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Shivraj Singh Bal, who is conducting the inquiry, visited the college and grilled the doctors, staff nurses and Class 4 employees who were on duty on the day of the incident. He also talked to GMC principal Dr Rajiv Devgan and medical superintendent Dr Raman Sharma.

Pritam Singh (93) of Tanda Ram Sahai village in Hoshiarpur district died at the hospital after he tested positive for Covid-19 on July 17 night, but his family received the mortal remains of a woman, Padma (37), a resident of Amritsar. Padma’s kin got Pritam’s body which they cremated on July 18.

As per the hospital authorities, the error took place as the on-duty staff put wrong labels on the caskets.“I also visited the mortuary to see the procedure followed by the hospital authorities in dealing with Covid-19 victims’ bodies. There are allegations that the hospital did not constituted a body management committee for Covid-19 victims as instructed by Punjab government,” said Shivraj Singh Bal.

“The hospital authorities have recommended suspension of two staff nurses and as many Class-4 employees for negligence but we are trying to zero in on the role of other staff members,” he added.