Body Mix-Up At Assam Hospital After Autopsy Triggers Outrage

In a shocking case of alleged negligence at Assam Medical College and Hospital (AMCH) in Dibrugarh, the oldest medical college in the Northeast, two families were left traumatised after the bodies of two youths were allegedly swapped following post-mortem examinations.

According to reports, Manoj Bauri, a resident of Khamlung Line in Sonari, had sustained critical injuries in a road accident while travelling to Dibrugarh on June 7. He had been undergoing treatment at Assam Medical College and Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries on Sunday.

Following the post-mortem, hospital authorities handed over the body to Manoj's family, who took to to their home in Sonari, believing it to be that of their son. However, a shocking discovery was made when the coffin was opened ahead of the final rites - the body inside did not belong to Manoj Bauri, but to another individual.

The matter was immediately reported to the local police, and Assam Medical College authorities were informed.

Subsequent inquiries revealed that the body handed over to Manoj's family was actually that of Sunil Nayak, a resident of Doomdooma. In a parallel mix-up, Manoj Bauri's body had reportedly handed over to Sunil Nayak's family, who had also taken it home believing it to be their relative.

Hospital authorities later coordinated the return of both bodies to Dibrugarh, and the bodies were exchanged and handed over to the respective families late in the night.

For Manoj Bauri's economically disadvantaged family, the ordeal added further distress and financial hardship to an already tragic situation.

The incident triggered strong public outrage across the region, with many demanding accountability and stricter protocols to prevent such lapses in the future.

Notably, this is not the first such incident in Sonari. A similar mix-up was reported earlier, when a wrongly identified body was buried and later had to be exhumed and returned to the rightful family. 

Authorities are yet to issue any statement on the latest incident.