Madra HC orders to exhume, rebury body of covid-19 victim doctor

The Health Officer nominated by the Greater Chennai Corporation shall be present and supervise the exhumation. This is to ensure that all procedures are complied with and everyone present shows respect to the deceased at all times and public health is protected. The judge said that the death of Simon is a shocking one as the incident had given a go-by to all human values.

His corpse was shunted from one burial ground to another due to the objections raised by heartless human beings for allowing the burial of the body of a COVID-19 victim. Ultimately, he was buried in a place where people belonged to another faith. The court, after examining the safeguards adopted in foreign countries, observed that till such time a legislation on exhumation comes in place in India, the same safeguards shall be followed while exhuming Simon''s body.

The exhumation should start as early as possible in the morning to ensure maximum privacy. Screens should be placed around the existing grave/burial plot to protect the exhumation from public view and to guarantee privacy. Workers must treat the neighbouring burial plots with care. Disinfectants and disposable protective clothing (including respiratory facemasks) must be made available to the workers and disposed of safely after the exhumation.

All remains and pieces of casket, webbing etc., are placed in the new casket (shell). Videography of the exhumation and re-burial process shall be done. Allowing the petition, the judge quashed the April 24, 2020 order of the GCC Commissioner, rejecting Anandi's plea for exhumation of her husband''s body and re-bury it at the Kilpauk cemetry.

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