Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, July 6: The dead needs to have patience and the right connection at Capital Hospital. Allegations of “inordinate delay and favouritism” in conducting post-mortem are rocking the premier hospital.

Resentment over delay in conducting autopsy is so high that the hospital witnessed a ruckus on June 22. The violent incident has, however, failed to improve the situation at the hospital.

Khurda resident Akula Chandra Das accused hospital authorities of lack of urgency in conducting post-mortem. He said the authorities entertained only those who came with some reference.

Talking to The Telegraph on Wednesday, Das said: “Although we have been waiting since 2am, the post-mortem is yet to be done.”

If Das complained of delay, there were others who said the hospital did not have adequate doctors to carry out autopsies.

“We have approached the authorities several times for an early post-mortem but nothing has happened,” said Nayagarh resident Alok Kumar Panda, who has been waiting with the body for the last 18 hours.

Those who go through the ordeal of having to wait with the bodies for hours said that the employees demand money for an early post-mortem.

“If you can pay money, post-mortem will be done fast,” said a person who has been waiting for hours with a body. Not willing to be named, he said that people with strong “political links” get post-mortem done fast.

Delay at the hospital also pushes back last rites and this angers relatives of the dead.

“If post-mortem takes a day to be done, then how can we perform the last rites on time. The last rites need to be done within a day of death,” said local resident S.N. Behera. Behera, who has been waiting in the rain for the post-mortem to be over, said the delay was mainly due to the unavailability of doctors who conduct autopsy.

Refuting the charges, hospital authorities said that lack of patience on part of the people who accompany the bodies was behind the resentment.

“We have to manage several things along with post-mortem and some of the doctors are now on deputation for rath yatra. We have to manage these things as on an average we get 10 bodies daily. Very often, the police produce requisition letters long after bodies reach the hospital. This delays the post-mortem process,” said Nirmala Dei, chief medical officer of the hospital.

She also rebuffed allegations of bribery and discrimination against the relatives of the dead.