RIMS morgue runs dry, families told to arrange water
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 04: Shortage of water has seriously affected the functioning of the mortuary under the Department of Forensic Science at Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) here so much so that for post-mortem examination of bodies the bereaved families have to arrange the required water.

Interestingly, RIMS has been recently upgraded to the status of All India Institute of Medical Sciences and is under the Union Health Ministry.

For conducting the post-mortem examination in connection with a case of suicide of a man by hanging under Porompat Police Station, the IO and the bereaved family members arrived at the mortuary of RIMS Hospital at around 10 am today.

Due to lack of water at RIMS morgue bereaved kins have to fetch the same on their own

As they were told that there is no water in the storage tank of the mortuary, some of the bereaved family members tried to meet the Deputy Director of the medical institute.

However, the security personnel did not permit them to meet the Deputy Director.

It is said that matters related to shortage of water in the mortuary had already been brought to the notice of the Deputy Director by the head in-charge of the Forensic Department some days earlier.

After waiting for long hours wirth receding hopes of RIMS authority providing the water, the bereaved family members finally purchased six to seven drums of water and the post-mortem examination was finally conducted at around 2 pm.

The person who committed suicide by hanging himself with the help of a rope inside a rented house at Mahabali Harikhagok Makhong area under Porompat Police Station at around 11 am has been identified as Sinam Ranjit (26) son of Angochou of Angtha Maning Leikai.

According to police report, Ranjit was earlier staying in a rented house along with his wife and two children.

However, or treatment of his addiction to alcohol, he was later sent to Sajiwa Jail.

After coming out from the jail, he was found hanging himself inside the rented room at around 11 am yesterday.

While the arrangement for conducting the post-mortem of the suicide case was being made, the IO of Lamphel Police Station arrived at the mortuary with another dead body related to the case of a labourer of BRTF who also apparently committing suicide by consuming Phenyl.

The IO too was informed about the shortage of water and that the arrangement of the required water for post-mortem has to be made by party concerned.

Consequently, a water tank was sent from 26 BRTF for the post-mortem of the labourer identified as Siring Dorgee of Darjeeling.

It is said Siring Dorgee was working as a casual pay labourer (CPL) of the 26 BRTF posted at Lamphelpat and he died at RIMS Hospital where he was admitted for treatment.

Even as efforts were being made in vain to drain away the remaining water from the tank of the BRTF to the water tank of mortuary as the accompanying water pipe was rather short, two other bodies exhumed from a place within the jurisdiction of Lamlai Police Station were also brought for post-mortem examination.

Along with collecting some pipes, the OC of Lamlai Police Station also tried his best to drain the remaining water from the water tank of BRTF to the water tank of mortuary of RIMS.

But in vain.

With the expectation of handing over the exhumed bodies to the Imphal Municipality for disposal after the post-mortem, the OC had even made arrangement for the required personnel and vehicle.

However, as RIMS authority could not provide the water, the post-mortem of the two unidentified exhumed bodies could not be accomplished.