Panic, grief and disbelief loomed large outside Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital’s mortuary on Tuesday morning where the post-mortem of the 13 bodies were under way after they were rushed to the hospital following the Karol Bagh hotel fire which left 17 dead and three injured.

The cordoned mortuary area saw heavy police deployment with a small information counter set up right outside that had photographs of the deceased for identification.

Paperwork counter

The counter also handled the paperwork for handing over the bodies to their relatives. Ambulances and stretchers lined the mortuary unit even as bewildered relatives sat with hospital and police authorities trying to identify the bodies from whatever little remained of the deceased.

Yogesh Tygai, Head of Forensic Department, Ram Monahar Lohia said, “We received 13 bodies this morning from the Karol Bagh fire accident. Of this, nine were partially burnt and are in a state to be identified but four bodies are beyond recognition.”

He added that deaths have occurred due to suffocation and burn injuries.

Hard to identify

The people who have died and were brought to RML include three from Kerala, two from Tamil Nadu, one from Patna, two persons from Myanmar.

“The mortuary is full and we have a very difficult task of helping the relatives identify the bodies. Some of them are charred beyond recognition. One family has identified their relatives with the help of bangles and neck chain that they were wearing,’’ said a hospital staff.

The mother of Pranav Kumar Bhaskar, 32, from Bihar broke down as soon as she identified her son. “I have no one left,” she cried refusing to be consoled. Bhaskar is survived by two children. “We don’t know how to live any more,” cried Bhaskar’s parents sitting outside the post-mortem room.

Several other relatives were seen rushing in to identify the bodies. “This is a very tough time for everyone,” said a mortuary staff adding that he would “never want to see another Tuesday like this ever again in this lifetime.”