Chennai, July 27:
A major lapse at Stanley Government Hospital has triggered shock after two deceased girls’ bodies were allegedly exchanged and handed over to the wrong families following post-mortem procedures.
Anushka (19) from Tiruvallur district had been admitted after a suicide attempt and later died during treatment. In a separate case, 17-year-old Priyadarshini from Manali also died by suicide, and her body was sent to the same hospital for post-mortem. After autopsy, the bodies were handed over to their respective families based on token numbers.
The mix-up came to light when Priyadarshini’s relatives opened the coffin at home and realised it was not her body. Shocked family members immediately alerted hospital authorities, who then conducted an inquiry and confirmed that the bodies had been mistakenly swapped.
Hospital staff later retrieved and exchanged the bodies with the correct families. Authorities at the hospital have initiated an internal inquiry into the incident, which has raised serious concerns over procedural lapses and handling of mortal remains.