A major controversy has erupted at a private hospital in Ludhiana, Punjab, leading to a criminal police investigation. The Orison Super Specialty Hospital in Sarabha Nagar is accused of releasing the body of a deceased elderly woman to the wrong family, who then proceeded to cremate her before the grave error was discovered.
A Heartbreaking Discovery for the Grieving Family
Jasvir Kaur Sandhu, aged 73, was admitted to the hospital on December 10 for liver disease and sadly passed away on December 19. Her husband, Jaswant Singh Sandhu, requested the hospital to preserve her body in the mortuary to allow their two sons, who were traveling from Canada and the United States, to arrive for the final rites.
When the family returned to claim the body, they were met with a shocking revelation. The body presented to them was not that of Jasvir Kaur. "When I asked them to show the face, it turned out to be not my wife's," stated Jaswant Singh. The family soon realized that their relative's body had already been collected by another family and had been cremated.
Allegations of Foul Play and Organ Theft
The incident has sparked not just outrage but also serious allegations of criminal activity. Jaswant Singh Sandhu has filed a formal police statement suggesting that the body mix-up may be a cover for something more sinister. He suspects collusion between hospital staff and alleges that his wife's body was stolen, her organs illegally removed, and then the body was hastily cremated to destroy evidence.
"I suspect that with the connivance of the doctor staff, management staff, and clerical staff, the body of my wife has been stolen from the hospital," Sandhu said. The victim's son, Balwinder Singh, who flew in from Canada, expressed profound grief and disbelief. "I couldn't even see my mother's face one last time," he lamented, adding that they had intended to conduct the cremation in their native village.
Police Action and Hospital's Defence
In response to the complaint, the police have registered a formal case against the hospital management and staff under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The charges include sections 305 (theft), 314 (dishonest misappropriation), and 316 (criminal breach of trust). Sarabha Nagar station house officer (SHO) Aditya Sharma confirmed that a criminal probe is underway.
While defending the hospital's protocols, Dr. Sunil Mittal, a radiologist at the facility, acknowledged an internal investigation. "From our side, proper labeling is done," Dr. Mittal stated, strongly refuting the allegations of organ theft or sale. The hospital denies any wrongdoing related to the illegal removal of organs.
This is not an isolated incident in Ludhiana. In a similar case on November 11, another private hospital reportedly handed over the body of a woman to the family of Joginder Singh, who had come to collect their father's remains. That error was fortunately caught at home just before the cremation.
The incident at Orison Hospital has led to public protests and demands for stricter accountability in hospital mortuary management to prevent such traumatic errors from recurring.
