The Supreme Court on Friday lashed out at State Governments and hospitals for the manner in which the COVID dead bodies are dealt with and said the situation in some cases was worse than what animals have to suffer.
The bench comprising Justice Ashok Bhushan, Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice MR Shah took Suo Motu cognisance on the treatment being meted out to the patients and the handling of bodies. The Court has issued notices to the Delhi Government, State of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra & has sought detailed status report from the respective state governments and has listed the matter for next hearing on June 17.
The bench while slamming the Delhi Government on deplorable conditions of people in hospitals said that while the dead bodies are being found in garbage, humans are being treated worse than animals.
Recently, Former Union Law Minister and Senior Advocate Dr. Ashwani Kumar wrote a letter addressed to the Chief Justice SA Bobde highlighting the grave infraction of the Citizen’s Right to die with dignity amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
In his letter, Dr. Ashwani Kumar urged CJI to take Suo Motu notice of various reported incidents, in which COVID-19 patients are being ill-treated and their dead bodies are being manhandled.
Reference has been given to a tragic incident in Madhya Pradesh where an elderly man suffering from COVID-19 was tied to a bed, after he allegedly failed to make payment of fees for his treatment.
Similarly, in the Union Territory of Puducherry, Dr. Kumar pointed out that Government workers could be seen throwing the body of a COVID-19 positive man into a pit.
As early as March 15 the first COVID death in India, the Centre had issued detailed guideline for handling of COVID dead Bodies (see attachment).
1584423700568_COVID19GuidelinesonDeadbodymanagement-1Full Order Here;
12672-2020-36-319-22526-Order-12-Jun-2020-India Legal Bureau