Chhattisgarh doctor demands 10,000 bribe for post-mortem of drowned kids

The bodies of two little children lay rotting for hours at a primary health centre in Chhattisgarh's Surguja district, allegedly because a doctor demanded Rs 10,000 for each post-mortem. The autopsies were conducted only when the stench got media and public attention.

Block medical officer Raghavendra Choubey was suspended, and the accused doctor, Aman Jaiswal - posted at the PHC on bond - was attached to the directorate of health in Raipur, CMHO Dr P S Marko said Tuesday. The Surguja collector recommended action against Jaiswal and ordered a compensation of Rs 4 lakh each for the children's families, Dr Marko added. The victims - Jugnu Giri (5) and his cousin, Suraj Giri (4) - had drowned in a water-filled pit in Silsila village, around 360km from Raipur, on Sunday. "Every second was crucial. So we carried the children on a motorcycle to the Raghunathpur PHC," Shiv said.

The doctor declared the children dead and asked for a post-mortem. On Monday, the family arrived at the hospital around 7am. But the doctor arrived around 9.30am. "...The bodies started smelling. When I asked the doctor, he told me that he would have done the post-mortem on Sunday, free of cost, as per govt rules, but it would now 'cost Rs 10,000 each'. When the news spread, the doctor finally conducted the post-mortem," Shiv told TOI. An investigation is underway, and further action will follow the probe report, said Dr Marko.