Meerut: In a shocking development and serious procedural lapse, an X-ray was conducted on a dead man at Lala Lajpat Rai Memorial Medical (LLRM) College in Meerut. The incident took place on June 20, when one Akhtar, a 45-year-old rickshaw puller, was brought to the medical college with injuries after he was hit by a car in Jagriti Vihar area. It is alleged that the doctors on the case prescribed an X-ray even though he was already dead by then.

The principal of LLRM has ordered an inquiry in the matter and sought an explanation from 11 doctors.

“A written explanation has been sought from 11 doctors for this procedural lapse. When a person dies, the actual way to go about finding the cause of the death is to get his post-mortem conducted. While there is procedural lapse, it seems that their intention was to find out the reason behind his death,” said Dr RC Gupta, principal, LLRM Medical College.

Dr Raj Kumar, Meerut chief medical officer, said, “The medical college is not my department; however, it is a serious procedural lapse. If the doctors had to ascertain the cause of death, they should have sent the body for post-mortem. Also, X-rays are conducted during post-mortem only when there is a gunshot or age verification is to be done.”

The explanation from the doctors is yet to arrive.

LLRM was earlier in news in December 2017, when it was found that ambulances were used to ferry liquor while Russian belly dancers were called to entertain guests at the alumni meet of doctors at the state-run college. A probe was also ordered.