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Calcutta High court directs postmortem of 18 years old who died due to alleged medical negligence
The Calcutta High court on Tuesday directed that postmortem must be conducted on the body of teenage boy, who was allegedly diagnosed with Covid-19 at a nursing home and died at a government hospital after being refused admission by two other facilities.
The single bench of Calcutta High court comprise of Justice Debangshu Basak. He directed the state government to allow his parents to view the mortal remains of their son after postmortem, and perform the last rites at a place to be designated by the authorities.
In accordance with the submission made on behalf of the state by the additional advocate general, the government will video record e entire process of the viewing of the deceased by the petitioners, performance of the last rites in accordance with the Covid-19 guidelines by the parents and the cremation.
The state government was directed to submit a report on these on the next date.
Justice Basak observed "it is clarified that the court did not decide the issue as to whether the deceased died due to Covid-19 or not".
The parents of teenager moved the high court, alleging that their son died due to medical negligence.
The 18 year old teenage boys'mother Sarbani Chatterjee claimed that two hospitals refused treatment when they took him to these facilities. He was finally admitted to medical college hospital.
He died on the same day he got admitted at 9:45 Pm and his parents were informed on next day, their lawyer Bikash Bhattacharya submitted.
Additional advocate general Abhratosh Majumdar, representing the state, said that the police have treated the complaint of the petitioners as a First Information Report (FIR) on July 12.
Submitting that the state is not averse to postmortem as prayed for by the parents, Majumdar said that the authorities will follow ICMR guidelines in conducting it and also in dealing with the body.
The court directed that an affidavit in opposition be filled by the state within four weeks and reply thereto, if any, be filled a week thereafter.
