157 cases of unidentified bodies in Pondy: CM

Puducherry,Apr 25(UNI) As many as 157 cases of unidentified bodies were registered in Puducherry Region alone during 2007-08, Chief Minister N Rangasamy told the Assembly today.

Replying to a question, Mr Rangasamy said after completing the formalities,a body would be kept at the mortuary of the government hospital here for three days and in the meantime, the fingerprints would be sent to all border police stations and also police stations in Tamil Nadu. The photographs would be published in newspapers.

Even after all these efforts,if the identity of the body could not be proved,it would be handed over to the municipality and buried.

On a demand from the Mr Anbazhagan (AIADMK), the Chief Minister agreed to enhance the amount given to the municipality for burial of the bodies from the present Rs 100 per body.

Mr Anbazhagan pointed out the body of Kamal Shah,the life convict who was "murdered" in the Central Prison, was still in the mortuary.

The Chief Minister said investigation was on and questioned him on how he term the incident as murder.

He said Kamal Shah's body would be buried today by the municipal authorities as his relatives have informed they would not be coming to Puducherry to collect it and requested the authorities to do the needful.

UNI PAB GM 1254