Inquiry ordered after MP hospital uses garbage tractor to transport woman's body
A viral video showing the body of a woman being transported from a government hospital in Chhatarpur district, Madhya Pradesh, in a municipal garbage tractor-trolley has prompted an inquiry by the district administration.
The incident occurred on August 5 at the civil hospital in Bada Malhara town. The woman, identified as Rukhsana Khan, had been missing for about a month. Her body was found that day and sent for post-mortem examination, according to officials.
In the video, which has been widely shared, men are seen wrapping the body in a plastic sheet and placing it on a trolley bearing the words 'Nagar Parishad, Bada Malhara'. A relative is heard questioning the hospital administration, saying a mortuary van had been sanctioned for the hospital several months ago but garbage vehicles are being used for transporting bodies.
The relative also alleges that this is not an isolated incident and that several bodies have been taken from the hospital in a similar manner. The video shows the hospital's exterior freshly painted, which the relative contrasts with the lack of basic amenities inside.
Chhatarpur Collector Mrinal Meena, who assumed office on August 7, said disciplinary action is being recommended against the local Block Medical Officer (BMO) based on an inquiry conducted by the Chief Medical Health Officer and the Sub-Divisional Magistrate. He said the BMO was responsible for making dignified arrangements for transporting the body, even if a mortuary van was not available.
Mr. Meena added that a separate investigation is underway to determine whether lapses occurred on the part of the hospital or the municipal body, and to verify whether a mortuary van was available at the time. 'So far, it has been established that it was the BMO's responsibility to make necessary and dignified arrangements even if an ambulance or a mortuary van was not available,' he said.
The incident has drawn criticism from opposition leaders. Congress MLA Umang Singhar, the Leader of Opposition in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, wrote on social media that the incident is an 'extremely shameful and insensitive reflection of the system'. He accused the BJP government of neglecting health infrastructure, citing the lack of treatment facilities and dignified arrangements for the deceased.
The case also highlights broader concerns about health infrastructure in rural Madhya Pradesh. On July 27, a 21-year-old man died while being taken to a district hospital in Mandla after the government ambulance he was in ran out of oxygen. Such incidents have raised questions about the adequacy of emergency medical services in the state.
The district administration has said that action will be taken against those found responsible, and that measures are being taken to ensure such incidents do not recur.
