A shocking case of medical negligence and infrastructural decay has emerged from Uttarakhand, where a grieving family was subjected to unimaginable horror. The body of their deceased relative was found partially eaten by rodents inside the mortuary of a government district hospital in Haridwar.
A Grisly Discovery in the Cold Room
The incident came to light on December 6, 2025, at the mortuary of the district hospital in Haridwar. The family of the deceased, identified as Rajendra Singh, had arrived to claim his body for final rites. What they witnessed left them traumatized and furious.
Upon viewing the body, the family discovered that rats had gnawed at the corpse. Disturbing reports and a circulating video indicated that parts of the face, including an eye, and other body parts showed signs of rodent bites. This gruesome discovery pointed to a complete breakdown of basic maintenance and dignity protocols within the hospital's mortuary facility.
Family Outrage and Official Inertia
Confronted with this appalling sight, the family members immediately launched a protest outside the hospital. Their anguish was directed at the hospital administration and the local health authorities, whom they accused of gross medical apathy and negligence.
The protestors demanded immediate action against those responsible for the mortuary's upkeep. They highlighted that the failure to preserve a body with basic dignity represents the lowest form of institutional failure, compounding their personal grief with public humiliation and distress.
This incident is not an isolated one but a symptom of a larger problem plaguing healthcare infrastructure in certain regions. Poor maintenance, lack of regular cleaning, and broken cold storage facilities often create such deplorable conditions in hospital morgues.
Systemic Failure and the Demand for Accountability
The event in Haridwar has triggered widespread condemnation and raised serious questions about the state of public health infrastructure in Uttarakhand. A hospital mortuary is a essential service that must operate with utmost hygiene and respect.
The presence of rodents in a space meant for preserving human remains indicates a severe lapse in sanitation and pest control measures. It exposes a systemic indifference towards both the deceased and their bereaved families.
Following the protest and the viral spread of the related video, local health officials were compelled to respond. An investigation into the incident was announced. The authorities have promised to take strict action against any staff found negligent and to review the maintenance protocols of all hospital mortuaries in the district.
However, for the family of Rajendra Singh and the public, this promises ring hollow without visible and immediate corrective measures. The incident serves as a grim reminder that medical negligence extends beyond treatment of the living to the care of the dead.
It underscores an urgent need for:
- Regular audits and modernization of mortuary facilities across government hospitals.
- Strict sanitation and pest control regimes.
- Accountability mechanisms that hold hospital administrations responsible for such lapses.
- Sensitivity training for staff handling mortuary services.
The Haridwar hospital mortuary scandal is a wake-up call for the health department. It challenges the very notion of dignified healthcare, which must encompass compassionate and hygienic care for patients and their families, even in death.
