Police open help centre for quick claiming of bodies at Kalyan hospital

As per the Rukminibai hospital records, on an average three to five post mortems are carried out every day

People will no longer have to run from pillar to post to claim a body after post mortem from Rukminibai civic hospital in Kalyan.

Relatives have to first lodge a first information report at the local police station. After the FIR is lodged, police visit the civic hospital for panchnama (witness testimony) followed by which the body is sent for post mortem. (HT Photo)

On Wednesday, a police help centre opened at the hospital to help people carry out legal formalities.

“The centre will be a major relief for those waiting for hours to claim the body of their dear ones. The entire legal formalities can be done at the centre,” said mayor Vinita Rane.

Relatives have to first lodge a first information report at the local police station. After the FIR is lodged, police visit the civic hospital for panchnama (witness testimony) followed by which the body is sent for post mortem.

The entire process takes at least four to five hours and people are hassled as the process is traumatic.

“The center will help reduce crowd on the hospital premises as the relatives are kept waiting for hours. It will also help us do our work on time,” said an official of health department, KDMC.

There has been a demand for such a centre at the civic hospital for the past one year by Shiv Sena leader Vijay Salvi. He had written to the Kalyan Deputy commissioner of police Sanjay Shinde in July 2018.

“The police help centre will make it easy as the relatives can get the FIR done and completed the formalities. The center will play the role of mediator between the complainant and the police. A person who is not from Kalyan finds it difficult to locate the police station and lodge an FIR,” said Salvi.

As per the Rukminibai hospital records, on an average three to five post mortems are carried out every day.

“We will provide manpower at the centre. This is one of the ways for us to help people get work done without hassle,” said Sanjay Shinde, deputy commissioner of police, Kalyan zone 3.