Srinagar, Dec 22: In what could be described as degradation of human values in the society, body of a woman, who breathed her last six days ago at a local hospital, is still lying in the mortuary of Government Medical College here with nobody turning up to claim it.
 Police officials said the woman, nearly 30 years old, was suffering from tuberculosis and was admitted in Chest Disease Hospital on November 14. “The woman was registered as Rubeena wife of Saleem Khan of Kupwara by a male attendant,” Station House Officer Ram Munshi Bagh Police Station, Nazir Ahmad Teli told Greater Kashmir. He said the male attendant later disappeared.
 “We tried to contact the person on the address registered in the hospital records, but failed to get any response,” Teli said, adding the body was now lying in the GMC mortuary.
 He said the police took the custody of body after hospital authorities informed them that the woman had expired and there was no attendant to take her home.
 Teli said the police issued a notice with photograph about the woman through various newspapers in the Valley and other communication channels urging the people having any information about the deceased to contact on phone numbers 9419000722, 2500830 or Police Control Room. However, nobody came forward to identify and claim the body, Teli added.
 He said that if the family wouldn’t claim the body in a week, they would dispose it off according to the law.
 Chest Disease Hospital Medical Superintendent, Dr Mushtaq Rather, said the woman was suffering from tuberculosis and also had breast abscess. “After coming to know that the woman was lying without any attendant in the ward, I deputed a nursing orderly to take care of her on humanitarian grounds. The employee took utmost care of Rubeena and looked after her properly,” Dr Mushtaq said adding that he even referred the case to the Tuberculosis Association of India, whose members brought money and blanket for Rubeena. However, Rubeena breathed her last on last Saturday and the blanket and money was returned to the Association, the Medical Superintendent added.
 According to Dr Mushtaq, Rubeena’s case wasn’t an isolated one. “We come across some elderly patients every month, especially those belonging to rural areas, whose attendants disappear after admitting them,” he said. He said the hospital authorities take due care of them and ensure proper medical treatment.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 22 Dec 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 22 Dec 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 23 Dec 2011 00:00:00 IST