High drama as doctors refuse terrorists’ autopsy

Gurdaspur,August 1
Doctors at the local Civil Hospital today refused to conduct post-mortem examinations on the bodies of the three militants killed in the Dinanagar attack on Monday. The doctors said they might inadvertently find themselves embroiled in a controversy because the people on whom they were to conduct the post-mortem were “declared terrorists by the Union Government”.
Civil Surgeon Dr Rajneesh Sood admitted they had never conducted these tests on terrorists. “The doctors feared they might needlessly get involved in legal wrangles. Hence, they refused,” a senior doctor said.
Gurdaspur SSP Gurpreet Singh Toor today sent a formal request to the Civil Surgeon and Senior Medical Officer Dr Sudhir Kumar, asking them to conduct the post-mortem examinations. However, when the word spread that some doctors who were present in the hospital would have to carry out the task, they backed out.
“These doctors initially threatened to go on a strike. However, they were later told by senior doctors that they had no option and would have to conduct the post-mortem examinations come what may. They then confabulated among themselves and decided not to conduct the tests,” said a senior doctor.
The Civil Surgeon spoke to Deputy Commissioner Dr Abhinav Trikha on the phone and told him about the development. The bodies had already been shifted from the air-conditioned mortuary to the adjoining one. A volatile situation was developing and the SSP was informed about the doctors’ decision.
Both the DC and the SSP, accompanied by senior administration and police officers, reached the Civil Hospital and held discussions with the protesting doctors. The SSP ordered the closure of all main gates of the hospital and a tight security cordon was thrown around the building. All visitors and patients were frisked.
Two hours later, the doctors decided to go ahead. The SMO formed three teams of three doctors each. Each team was to conduct the post-mortem examination on each of the three militants.
The situation was such that the DC and under-training IPS officer Akhil Chowdhury camped at the Civil Surgeon’s office till late evening lest anything should go haywire.
The mortuary where the tests were being conducted was taken over by security personal. Policemen on duty near the mortuary could be seen wearing masks. Stench was thick in the air as the bodies had started decomposing.
The Civil Surgeon said it would take some time for the authorities to make the report public as the DNA tests would be done on the basis of “bone marrow aspiration” samples.