Nearly two weeks after a body stored in the mortuary of Maharaja Agrasen Civil Hospital in Hisar was found partially eaten by rats, the two defective freezers in the facility remain non-operational. The hospital administration has identified technical faults in the units but has not yet restored them to service, citing concerns that rodent entry points may still exist.
Incident Triggered Outrage
The controversy erupted on June 7 when the body of 25-year-old Komal, who died due to post-delivery complications, was kept overnight in the hospital mortuary. The next morning, her family alleged that when the body was taken out, a large cut mark was found on her forehead and the skin appeared to have been eaten. With rodents seen roaming inside the mortuary, the family claimed that rats had gnawed parts of the body, as she had no such injuries before her death.
Repairs Completed but Freezers Idle
Following the incident, the hospital administration identified technical faults in two freezers and called engineers to repair them. Sources said the defects have since been rectified, but the freezers are still lying unused. They attributed the delay to an apparent lack of coordination between the engineers and hospital authorities. Hospital officials stated that only one freezer is currently functional, with capacity to preserve a single body at a time. Consequently, if more than one body requires storage before post-mortem examination, the additional bodies are shifted to the Medical College at Agroha.
Rodent Entry Concerns Persist
Sources said although the freezers have been repaired, engineers have not been able to explain how rats entered the mortuary unit. Apprehending that openings used by rodents may still exist, the hospital authorities have decided not to use the repaired freezers until they are satisfied that the problem has been fully addressed. The delay has drawn criticism from local residents and the victim's family, who demand immediate action to prevent such incidents in the future.
