'Missing body' case: Cops to carry out DNA test

KOLKATA: The police have decided to carry out a DNA test to solve the mystery of a "missing" dead body of an undertrial who was lodged at Presidency Correctional Home and passed away at the SSKM Hospital during this year's Durga Puja.
In a virtual acknowledgement of the claims made by victim Bablu Polley's family, cops said they wish to carry out DNA sampling of the body of one Abhijit Majumdar of Maheshtala.Cops suspect that Majumdar's family had claimed Polley's body thinking it to be that of Majumdar.
Cops will question all those in SSKM who were on duty at the hospital morgue between October 20 and October 23. "We have found that14 bodies were handed in this period. The number of bodies entering the morgue matches those that were handed over. The morgue has registered the name of Polley too and entered his details. There has to be a mistake in identifying the body," explained an officer.
According to police sources, the incident took place on Nabami, October 23. On that day, the magistrate-level investigation was supposed to take place, the post-mortem being an integral part of it . Family members were asked to come to the mortuary of SSKM Hospital. An ACP of the South Division of Kolkata Police was supposed to initiate the inquest. When the family failed to identify the body, the hospital informed the Bhowanipore Police about the development. After initial investigation, cops said the incident might have taken place due to "negligence" of the hospital staff at the mortuary. The hospital authorities have countered the claims stating that the responsibility of the forensic medicine department is to conduct the autopsy. They added that it is the responsibility of the police to properly identify the body and hand it over to the relative.