MMC lifts 10 unclaimed bodies from South Goa hospital

Panaji: Margao Municipal Council (MMC) on Wednesday lifted 10 unknown, unclaimed bodies from the mortuary of South Goa District Hospital in Panaji and disposed of them.

The move followed an SOS from the hospital to the SP South over the morgue reaching full capacity. Medical superintendent Dr Rajendra Borkar confirmed that 10 bodies were lifted by MMC and disposed of.

Of the 10 bodies, five were hospital deaths, while the remaining were brought in by police. Most were beggars whose bodies had remained unclaimed in the morgue for over a month.

MMC is expected to lift more unclaimed bodies on Thursday.

Congress leader Savio Coutinho said it is a shame that the municipality stopped disposing of bodies citing lack of funds. “This is the responsibility of the municipality. It cannot give the excuse of lack of funds. It’s a shame for the municipality to claim lack of funds for a necessity like this. It spends money on cricket tournaments and entertainment programmes.”

The hospital had written to police warning of public inconvenience due to the full morgue, especially in view of Holy Week, when Christians do not hold funerals between Maundy Thursday and Easter Sunday.