Mortuaries using rusty knives for autopsy, HC told

A report filed by amicus curiae has said that mortuaries in the national capital are still using outdated and rusted implements to carry out post-mortems despite the Delhi high court’s directions to the administration two months back to rectify the situation and the government’s assurance that the equipment would be upgraded in a week.

Amicus curiae Saqib, who had again inspected some city mortuaries on November 16 pursuant to the court’s directions on September 16 and October 1, has said that he found mortuaries managed by Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital and Aruna Asaf Ali Hospital have not replaced older tools.

He also found that “essential items like salt — used for preserving viscera of post-mo-rtem cases — and PVC mortuary sheets for covering the bodies after the autopsy have been out of stock for long”.

Saqib said, “I may note with a sense of deep anguish and pain that not even a single thing has moved in a positive direction since my last inspection. The equipments, surgical instruments and tools being used are the same, which are totally rusted, old and made of cast iron. The report also contains pictures of the autopsy implements.

On September 16, the court had expressed its anguish and anger over the state of affairs in the city mortuaries and had directed the Delhi government to “act fast”.

The court was dealing with a PIL initiated by it after a murder accused died in custody and one of his eyes was found missing when his body was kept in the mortuary after which the directions were given.