PATHANAPURAM: A dead body of a COVID-19 infected person that went underwent funeral rites on the belief that the corpse was cremated by the health department was found to be at the Thiruvananthapuram medical college mortuary. The relatives came to know that the corpse pf Devarajan, a Manjalloor native who died on October 2, was still kept at the mortuary. The medical college contacted Devarajan's relatives and on knowing that there is no space for carrying out the funeral in his house premises, the health department promised to carry out his funeral at the public graveyard in Kollam, the relatives said.

The funeral rites of Devarajan were carried out on this belief. However, Devarajan's wife Pushpa recently realized that the dead body of her husband is still being kept at the mortuary when she came to Pathanapuram police station for another need. Devarajan was taken to a private hospital in Pathanapuram after a respiratory ailment on September 18. As his condition became serious, he was shifted to Thiruvananthapuram medical college on the same day. In between this, his wife was sent back as Devarajan tested positive. His wife also tested positive for the virus.

According to the relatives. Pushpa came to know about her husband's demise on October 2. The relatives told the police about the lack of facilities at their house to do a funeral, after which the police ensured that the funeral will be held.

As per the district medical officer, Devarajan was referred to Parippally medical college and it is unsure how he went to Thiruvananthapuram medical college. Usually, if a COVID infected patient from Kollam dies in Thiruvananthapuram, the district medical officer in Kollam is informed, which didn't happen in Devarajan's case, the DMO said.