Covid victim's body found infested with maggots, relatives come up with complaint; Kalamassery Medical College officials deny allegations

KOCHI: The relatives of an elderly man who died of Covid-19 at the Kalamassery medical college have alleged that the body was found infested with maggots. Perumbavoor native Kunjumon's (85) son Anil alleged that maggots were noticed on Kunjumon's body when it was taken for cremation.

Kunjumon was admitted to Perumbavoor Taluk Hospital on August 29 after he tested positive for Covid. He was later shifted to the Covid hospital in Ambalamukal and from there to Kalamassery Medical College on September 6. He died on September 14.

According to the relatives, maggots were spotted on Kunjumon's body ahead of cremation. They also said that the maggots can be seen in the photos taken before the cremation.

The relatives have lodged a complaint with the Chief Minister, the Health Minister, and the Scheduled Castes Department.

However, the Kalamassery Medical College authorities denied all the allegations. "The patient was in the airbed during the treatment period. No sores or maggots were noticed during treatment. The body was immediately transferred to the freezer after death. We have evidence for all this," Hospital Superintendent Ganesh Mohan said.