The grieving family of Ramesh Meghwal endured a traumatic night outside AIIMS Jodhpur after the premier institute's administration refused to accept his body for a post-mortem examination. The deceased's body had been brought from Saudi Arabia to Jaipur and then to Jodhpur on Thursday.
A Night of Pleas and Refusals
Suspecting foul play in Ramesh Meghwal's death in Saudi Arabia, his family sought a second post-mortem at the central government-run AIIMS Jodhpur. However, their request was met with a firm denial. Despite repeated appeals to at least store the body in the hospital mortuary, the authorities turned down their pleas. This forced the family to spend the entire Thursday night outside the hospital gates with the body.
Even intervention from senior police officers, who presented a letter from the concerned police station, failed to change the hospital's stance. The family was left with no choice but to wait in desperation through the night.
Institutional Rules Cited as Reason
Doctors on duty at AIIMS Jodhpur explained that as a Government of India facility, the post-mortem could be conducted at a state government hospital. This institutional protocol was reiterated by AIIMS spokesperson Jeewan Ram Bishnoi.
"Any body brought from outside AIIMS cannot be accepted for post-mortem or kept in the mortuary unless it is supported by a competent order, such as one issued by a magistrate or the district collector," Bishnoi stated, citing the established rules.
Family's Anguish and Final Journey to Balotra
Gana Ram, the brother of the deceased, expressed the family's deep distress and their doubts about the cause of death. "We brought the body to AIIMS Jodhpur and requested the administration to keep it in the mortuary, but they refused. We spent the entire night outside the gate waiting for permission," he said.
He added that the family was asked to submit a letter from the Station House Officer (SHO), but even after complying, the body was not accepted. With all options exhausted, the family departed for Balotra on Friday morning in an ambulance. They planned to get the post-mortem conducted at a state-run hospital there, ending their painful vigil at AIIMS Jodhpur.
