New Delhi, Aug 12 (IANS): The NHRC has asked the Rajasthan government to compensate the kin of a dead woman whose body parts were bitten off by rats in a government hospital, an official said Tuesday.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said the state-run Amrit Kaur hospital in Beawar showed "carelessness" by not keeping Janta Devi's body in a mortuary deep freezer but instead, leaving it on the autopsy table after she died due to drug reaction.
"Parts of her right ear and left eye were bitten by rats... it is a serious violation of right to dignity in death," said the NHRC, adding it has recommended the state government to pay Rs.1 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased within six weeks.
"The chief secretary of the state has been asked to submit a compliance report," the commission added.
The NHRC said services of a hospital staff member have been terminated while disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against the remaining employees.
"The state is obliged by law to keep the dead body in safe custody so the family, who has the right to either bury or cremate the deceased, can perform the last rites with dignity."
"We take this issue as a serious violation of human dignity of the dead body of the woman and infringement of the human rights of the relatives," added the NHRC.