Mortuary van unavailable, Adivasi family made to carry baby’s body home in vegetable bag

On December 19, the child died during treatment at the Sadar Hospital. The Indian Express accessed hospital documents that confirmed the death but did not mention the cause.

After this, the family sought a mortuary van but were allegedly told that none were available.

“The hospital staff then told us that if we tried to carry the body openly, we wouldn’t be allowed on a bus,” Chatomba said.

The staff then allegedly pooled Rs 400 to buy a vegetable bag and the couple’s bus tickets, placed the body in it and told the couple to take him home, about 80 km away.

Attempts to reach West Singhbhum Civil Surgeon Bharti Minz for comment were unsuccessful. The Sub-Divisional Officer and Deputy Commissioner were also unavailable for comment.

Meanwhile, Dimba’s neighbour Jogo Chatomba said the unavailability of a mortuary vehicle was common in the area.

“In most cases, drivers demand extra money for fuel because of poor roads, or simply refuse,” he said, adding: “Carrying a child’s body in a bag is unimaginable and deeply disrespectful.”

As the incident sparked outrage, Health Minister Irfan Ansari announced that the government will procure four mortuary vehicles for every district hospital at a cost of Rs 15 crore to “ensure families do not face indignity during emergencies”. He also claimed an inquiry into the incident found that the family left on their own “without waiting for the ambulance”, and that two mortuary vehicles were available at the time — “one of which was non-functional due to technical reasons, while the other was en route”.