Doctors’ protest delays autopsies at Odisha hospital, families left waiting with dead bodies

The ongoing doctors’ protest has allegedly disrupted post-mortem services at Udala hospital in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district, leaving grieving families waiting for hours to complete legal formalities. Two bodies remained in the hospital mortuary as autopsies could not be conducted, police sources said on Thursday. One of the deceased was identified as Bhabesh Bindhani from Badampada village under Kaptipada police limits. Family members said he allegedly consumed a poisonous substance and was admitted to Udala hospital, where he died late last night during treatment. Police subsequently seized the body and initiated an investigation. The second case involves a 15-year-old girl of Gagapal village under Berhampur police limits, who also died after allegedly consuming a poisonous substance. Her body was likewise kept in the mortuary awaiting post-mortem examination. Relatives of both deceased alleged that the autopsies could not be conducted because of the ongoing doctors’ agitation. They claimed the bodies had remained in the mortuary for nearly nine hours, adding to the family’s distress. According to the relatives of Bhabesh Bindhani, they were advised to shift the body to Baripada for the post-mortem, but questioned how they could arrange transportation while coping with their loss. The unusual delay has raised concerns over the impact of the strike on essential medico-legal services. However, hospital authorities had not issued any official statement on the matter at the time of filing this report. “It (a post-mortem) was supposed to be done this morning. But they are refusing, saying that the doctors are on strike and it cannot be done here. We have been here since 3.00 AM (last night). It is already 11 or 12 o’clock now. They are refusing because the doctors are on strike. They are telling us to take the body to Baripada,” a constable from Kaptipada Police Station, Tapas Ranjan Mohanty, told OTV.