Police suspect the body was cremated after officials of the health department mistook it for that of a coronavirus patient.
The body of a 28-year-old who was stabbed to death during a fight between two groups in Faridabad on Friday evening “disappeared” from the mortuary overnight. His family was later informed that the body had been cremated after being mistaken for a coronavirus victim.
Confirming this, officials from Faridabad Police said an FIR has been lodged regarding the matter. “Sonu Khan had been stabbed by 4-5 men Friday, and his body was kept at the BK Hospital mortuary. In the afternoon, however, when the IO and his relatives reached the hospital for postmortem, they discovered the body was missing,” said Sube Singh, Faridabad Police PRO.
Police suspect the body was cremated after officials of the health department mistook it for that of a coronavirus patient. Relatives of the deceased have submitted a complaint against the PMO of the hospital and health workers, and an FIR has been lodged.
“It is suspected that the body was mistaken for that of a coronavirus patient and handed over to the Municipal Corporation of Faridabad for cremation. We are conducting further investigations to confirm this,” said Inspector Arvind Kumar, SHO of the SGM Nagar police station.
“The murder case has been handed to the Crime Branch at the request of the family. The case lodged regarding the confusion over the body has also been transferred to the crime branch, which is probing the matter from every angle. Strict action will be taken against those responsible,” said the PRO.
Sonu’s relatives, meanwhile, expressed anguish over the fact that they did not get to do his last rites as per their customs.
“We were already so shaken by his death, and now we do not even get to bury him. His postmortem also was not done. How can something like this happen?” said a relative.
Khan had sustained injuries during a fight between two groups in Faridabad on Friday evening, said officials. An FIR has been lodged against several people regarding the matter.