Kin carry dead man's body in rickshaw for post-mortem in Chhattisgarh

Raigarh (C'garh), Sep 15: Relatives of a 40-year-old man, who died in a village in Raigarh district in Chhattisgarh, today carried his body in a rickshaw for three kms to a reach government hospital for post-mortem and then back home.

Amid reports that ambulance was not available to them, the district authorities clarified that the kin of the deceased never asked for the service.

"Relatives of the deceased, Samaru Lal, clarified that as they had a tricycle rickshaw at home, they did not contact Sanjeevani Express 108 ambulance to transport the body," Raigarh district administration said in a statement.

According to police, Ramlal Rathiya, a native of Bhendra village under Gharghoda development block, died last evening after he was struck by lightning while he had gone to the fields to bring fodder for his cattle.

"After his death, the relatives of the victim informed about the incident to police at around 7 PM yesterday. The body was taken to the hospital early this morning for postmortem, conducted around 6.30 AM," Station House Officer (SHO) of Gharghoda police station D L Mishra said.

As panchnama cannnot be conducted at night, police had to wait for further course of action till morning, he said.

Three relatives of the deceased took the body in a tricycle rickshaw for post-mortem to the hospital and then brought it back to their village for the last rites.

Sub Divisional Magistrate, Gharghoda, Vineet Nandanwar said that no request for an ambulance was received from the Rathiya family and necessary assistance are being provided to them as per the rules. In a statement, Raigarh district administration said an immediate relief of Rs 10,000 was given to the family of the deceased to perform the last rites.

"Rathiya died due to lightning strike in the field of a villager -Ramlal Junwani, yesterday following which the matter was reported to police. After the post-mortem today, his relatives immediately took the body to Bhendra for cremation," it said.

Raigarh Collector Alarmelmangai D also directed the officials to provide a compensation of Rs 4 lakh to the kin of the victim within two days.

Last month, a tribal man in Kalahandi in Odisha had carried his wife's body on his shoulders for nearly 12 kms as he had no money for a hearse van and the district hospital authorities allegedly refused to arrange one, which had kicked up a row.

PTI