Post-mortems can now be conducted even after sunset

New Delhi: Post-mortems can now be conducted even after sunset in the Capital with organ donation-related post-mortems being done on priority.

The Delhi government has made the post-mortem of dead bodies possible even after sunset which will not only change the situation for the relatives of the deceased who often have to wait for a long time to receive the dead body but will also encourage organ donation and transplantation, the government said in a statement.

Deputy CM Manish Sisodia directed the health department to conduct post-mortems even at night in hospitals with adequate facilities. The Minister asked the hospital in-charges to ensure all necessary infrastructure at the post-mortem house.

Due to the availability of post-mortem facilities at night, people in Delhi will not have to wait long for the post-mortem of the dead bodies, he said. "This will give a lot of relief to the relatives of the deceased. However, in the case of deaths where there is suspicion of murder, suicide, rape, or foul play, a provision has been made to examine the dead bodies only during the day," Sisodia said.

The Deputy CM said that such post-mortems will be carried out in hospitals that have adequate facilities to conduct them on a regular basis. The situation will be better now as earlier dead bodies were kept safely in the mortuary during the night and the relatives had to wait the entire night to claim it. The relatives of the deceased will not have to wait for hours for the dead bodies after the night post-mortem facility, he said.

"To avoid any doubt or confusion, video recording of all the post-mortems will be done throughout the night and it will be preserved for future reference for legal purposes. Apart from friends and relatives of the deceased, this new process will also promote organ donation and transplantation, as organs can be retrieved within a stipulated time after the procedure," Sisodia added.