Odisha man's body exhumed after family claim organ theft by hospital

Odisha Police launched a probe after the victim's son lodged a complaint, claiming that his father had suffered head injuries and undergone treatment at a private hospital in Cuttack, but they found surgery marks on his abdomen.

In Short

• Victim got head injuries after being hit by truck loaded with iron rods
• He was admitted to hospital in Cuttack but died on October 16
• Victim's family claim hospital involved in organ theft, inquiry ordered

The Odisha Police have exhumed the body of a 44-year-old man, who died due to a road accident recently in Kalahandi district, to conduct a post-mortem examination, following an allegation of organ theft, a senior officer said.

The police launched a probe after the victim's son lodged a complaint, claiming that his father had suffered head injuries and undergone treatment at a private hospital in Cuttack, but they found surgery marks on his abdomen.

"We suspected that the hospital authorities might have removed some of my father's organs," the son alleged.

Babula Digal, a businessman, suffered head injuries after being hit by a mini-truck loaded with iron rods on October 13, while he along with his wife and son was going towards Rampur on a motorcycle.

He was admitted to the private hospital in Cuttack and succumbed to his injuries on October 16, the police officer said.

The hospital authorities had handed over the body to the family members of the victim without conducting any post-mortem examination and did not inform the local police station in Cuttack about his death, he said.

The family members of the victim buried his body in a burial ground at Tikarabaju under the Kandhamal district’s Baliguda Police Station limits on October 17, the police said.

Baliguda Police Station inspector-in-charge Sushant Sahu said the post-mortem of the body was conducted at a sub-divisional hospital, after being exhumed from the burial ground.

"We are also investigating the allegation of the victim's son about organ theft. All details will be known only after getting the post-mortem report," he said.

Meanwhile, a team of Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Commissionerate Police visited the private hospital in Cuttack for an investigation following the complaint in Kandhamal.

The hospital authority denied the allegation and said their doctors had performed decompressive craniectomy, a neurosurgical procedure.

"Our doctors had also informed the family member about the patient’s condition during the treatment," private hospital manager Susanta Behera told media persons in Cuttack.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling said he has ordered a departmental inquiry into the allegations.

Strong action will be taken if anyone is found guilty in the case, he added.