Ludhiana Civil Hospital Morgue Overwhelmed by Unclaimed Bodies
The mortuary at Ludhiana Civil Hospital is grappling with a severe crisis as a large number of unclaimed bodies have accumulated, exhausting over half of its storage capacity. Hospital officials report that out of approximately 22 to 23 bodies currently stored, around 18 remain unclaimed, with some dating back to last month.
Storage Capacity Strained as Bodies Remain for Weeks
Sources within the hospital reveal that many of these unclaimed bodies have been in the mortuary for periods ranging from nine to nearly 40 days. The oldest body dates back to February 7, highlighting a prolonged issue. The morgue has a total capacity of 35 bodies, but with more than 20 already stored, authorities are concerned that accommodating new arrivals may soon become impossible.
This situation has raised alarms about the facility's ability to handle future cases effectively.
Breakdown of Cases Across Police Jurisdictions
The unclaimed bodies are linked to various police stations in the region:
- Six cases are registered under Moti Nagar police station
- Two under division no 1 police station
- One each from Saleem Tabri and division no 2 police stations
- The remainder from other police jurisdictions
A doctor at the civil hospital, speaking on condition of anonymity, explained that most of the deceased died during treatment, while others were victims of road accidents or were recovered from isolated areas.
Protocol and Coordination Challenges
Hospital officials emphasize that their role is limited to storing, safeguarding, and maintaining the bodies. According to established protocol, police act as the legal custodian of unidentified bodies. Their responsibilities include:
- Identification within 72 hours by publicizing photos
- Arranging postmortem examinations if bodies remain unclaimed
- Handing them over to the municipal corporation or authorized agencies for last rites
Despite the civil hospital sending multiple reminders to concerned police stations, coordination between departments for the cremation of these bodies is still awaited.
Medical Concerns Over Decomposition
The anonymous doctor highlighted that unclaimed bodies should ideally be disposed of or transferred after 10 days. In a normal mortuary where temperatures are maintained between 2 degrees Celsius and 6 degrees Celsius, decomposition becomes visible within three to seven days. This prolonged storage raises significant health and hygiene concerns.
Official Responses and Actions
Senior Medical Officer Dr. Akhil Sareen confirmed that the mortuary currently holds 18 unclaimed bodies in addition to four to five other bodies. He stated that the hospital has already written to the police and will hand over the unclaimed bodies to them for further action.
ACP Industrial Area (A) Inderjit Singh Boparai said he has instructed Moti Nagar police station to coordinate with the concerned agency for disposal of the bodies, adding that the process will be completed soon.
Repeated attempts to contact the Municipal Corporation commissioner were unsuccessful as she did not respond to calls. However, MC sources indicated that arrangements for cremation can be made once requisite details are received from the police.
The ongoing delay highlights systemic issues in inter-departmental coordination that need urgent resolution to prevent further mortuary overcrowding.
