Police Detain 10 Persons For Assaulting Doctor Over Post-Mortem In Odisha’s Koraput

Koraput: Police have detained 10 persons including a woman for allegedly assaulting a doctor of a hospital for performing post-mortem of a woman in the open in Odisha’s Koraput.

According to sources, the woman, Kabita Khila of Panjel village under Lamataput block in the district, fell unconscious in her house on Wednesday. Her family rushed her to the community health centre (CHC) at Nandapur. But the doctor on duty declared her brought dead and informed the police.

The police seized the body and sent it to the CHC for post-mortem. Dr Sandeep Panda of the CHC started performing the post-mortem in the open on the hospital premises as the CHC does not have a specific enclosure or room for the purposes.

Agitated over it, some members of Kabita and villagers allegedly assaulted the doctor. Other staff of the CHC rescued Dr Panda from the villagers and informed the police. Later, the doctor filed a complaint at the police station.

On the basis of the complaint, the police detained 10 persons including five women who were involved in alleged attack on the doctor.

Speaking to the media, Kabita’s father said his daughter used to fall unconscious earlier also. But she was recovering after such incidents. He suspected negligence of the doctor led to her death.

At the same time, the villagers complained that though they have been demanding to construct a post-mortem room in the CHC campus, the authorities have failed to take any step. As a result, the post-mortem is conducted in the open, which poses a disturbing sight for them.