Madhya Pradesh Government Hospital Sent Body Home In A Garbage Trolley

The corpse of a murder victim was transported home after autopsy in a garbage collection trolley from the Nagar Palika Parishad in Madhya Pradesh's Damoh, highlighting the insensitivity of officials.

This occurred despite two government-provided hearse vans sitting unused at the Damoh district hospital.

These vans, however, are strictly allocated only for patients who die within the hospital premises. The victim apparently didn't qualify for this service.

In Hata town, the victim's family requested transportation for the deceased.

No hearse arrived.

Instead, they were provided with a municipal garbage trolley.

"The government supplies hearses to transport deceased individuals home. Families simply need to call and provide the necessary documentation," explained Civil Surgeon Prahlad Patel.

The actual situation was quite different.

"We encountered tremendous hardship. The police requested a vehicle, and this is what was provided," said Chandan Singh, a family member.

This isn't the first incident of such disrespect in Madhya Pradesh.

In July, NDTV revealed that over 150 new Mukti Vahan hearses, intended to serve impoverished families with dignity, were abandoned in a muddy field in Bhopal's Misrod.

These vehicles have been deteriorating under weather conditions, awaiting a "grand political inauguration."

Training was completed, tenders approved, funds expended. Yet the deceased continued to wait.

After NDTV reported on the new hearse vehicles sitting idle in Bhopal for three months, they were quickly distributed to various districts.

In July, in Sironj, Vidisha, a father strapped his deceased 15-year-old son to his motorcycle and drove through rainy conditions. The mother followed on foot.

Their request for a hearse van at the local medical facility was denied with: "There is none available."

Earlier this year in Maihar, law enforcement officers were recorded dumping a deceased person into a garbage truck. Public outrage ensued. Commitments were made. Yet nothing improved.

For many years, similar situations have recurred across districts, with deceased bodies carried manually, attached to motorcycles, transported on handcarts, or placed in sacks.

These distressing incidents continue to occur.

The Shav Vahan Yojana was intended to address this problem.

In April this year, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced the deployment of advanced Mukti Vahan hearses: featuring air-conditioning, fumigation equipment, stretchers, fire extinguishers, and transparent windows allowing families to pay their respects.

A toll-free number (1080) was promised for round-the-clock assistance.