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Body of a COVID-19 patient was taken on Friday from Nizamabad Government Hospital to a burial ground in an auto-rickshaw without any supervision from the hospital. The body of the deceased 50-year-old COVID patient was handed over to a relative without any ambulance or handler for final rights.

After a deceased covid patient’s body was carried in an auto rickshaw by his relative without the assistance of any health authorities, Telangana’s director of Medical Education Dr. Ramesh Reddy has ordered a detailed enquiry into the handover of a covid positive body to relatives instead of following the standard protocol. He has also instructed Nizamabad Government Hospital’s superintendent to file criminal cases against staff members of the hospital involved in handling over the body.

The Telangana government has decided to form joint teams of officials to carry out inspections, among other measures, to check black marketing of oxygen cylinders. Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar Friday held a meeting with officials, including the police, on the supply of oxygen to hospitals.

In neighboring Andhra Pradesh, too, JCB was used to move dead bodies of coronavirus positive patients in at least three instances.

In many states, such a lapse in protocol has happened before. Supreme Court ripped into the Delhi government for mismanagement while handling dead bodies. An 82-year-old COVID patient was found dead in the hospital’s toilet after going missing for eight days.